DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by goals from junior Ella Gallino (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperaug), senior Ancksu Dixon (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) and sophomore Hailey Metzger (Levittown, N.Y./MacArthur), the Mercy University Women's Soccer Team earned a 3-0 win over Chestnut Hill College on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (3-0) start 3-0 for the first time since 2013 and defeat the Griffins (0-4) for the second straight year.
The Mavericks dominated the match, with a total of 29 shots and 16 on goal, while holding the Griffins to just three shots. Mercy's goalkeeper sophomore Anneliese Becker (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) recorded a shutout with two saves, and the home team secured the victory with a first-half goal followed by two more in the second half.
Mercy took control of the first half with a commanding offensive performance, outshooting the Griffins twelve to two. Despite several missed opportunities, including a shot off the crossbar by Metzger, the Mavericks broke through in the 36th minute when Gallino scored off an assist from freshman Camila Salvador (Santiago, Chile/Santiago College), giving the home team a 1-0 lead. Becker contributed to the defensive effort with a crucial save in the 25th minute, maintaining the advantage at the break.
The Mavericks dominated the second half against the Griffins, clinching a 3-0 victory with relentless offensive pressure. Dixon opened the scoring in the 71st minute, capitalizing on multiple attempts, while Metzger sealed the win with a goal in the 86th minute, assisted by freshman Casey Szczotka (Mattituck, N.Y./Mattituck). Mercy's attack was persistent with 14 shots, forcing the Griffins' goalkeeper Ellie Stratz to make numerous saves and maintaining control with eight corner kicks throughout the half.
Metzger scored one goal and now has three goals on the year. Dixon recorded her team-leading fourth goal of the season and now has 86 career points, tying the school record set by Haley Noble in 2018. Gallino netted the game-winning goal, converting her only shot of the match. Salvador and Szczotka both added their first career assists. Becker made two saves to earn her second shutout of the season.
Stratz stood out for the Griffins with an impressive 11 saves, highlighting her performance in the second half. Esposito also contributed in goal with two saves during her 45 minutes of play. Lauren Sullivan and McDonald each managed one shot on goal, providing some offensive efforts for the team.
Mercy held a 29-3 edge in shots, a 16-2 edge in shots on goal and a 9-0 edge in corner kicks.
The next challenge for the Mavericks is a trip to Rutherford, N.J., where they will face Felician University on September 17. The match is set to kick off at 1 p.m.
