DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by a game-high two goals from junior Madison Brefka (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero North Syracuse) and a game-high 14 saves from junior Kaylise McClure (Lake Grove, N.Y./Sachem North), the Mercy University Field Hockey Team earned a 3-1 win over ECC foe Molloy University on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Field in their Morgan's Message Game.
The Mavericks (2-6, 1-2 ECC) snap a two-game losing streak and earn their first ECC win in program history. Mercy defeats the Lions (2-4, 2-1 ECC) for the 12th straight time.
McClure made two saves in the first quarter and Brefka recorded two shots on goal, but the score remained 0-0 after the first quarter.
McClure stopped one more shot in the second quarter, keeping the score 0-0 at halftime.
McClure made seven more saves to begin the third quarter and sophomore Gwendolyn Smith (Sound Beach, N.Y./Miller Place) added two defensive saves to keep the score 0-0. Ava Benasutti gave Molloy a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute, following a Samantha Naples assist, and the Lions held a 1-0 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Mercy tied the score at 1-1 in the 49th minute when Brefka scored her first goal of the game, off a penalty stroke. Senior Alyssa Benvengo (East Islip, N.Y./Molloy University) later gave the Mavericks a 2-1 lead, following a freshman Addison Testa (Danbury, Conn./Danbury) assist in the 53rd minute. McClure stopped three more shots to keep the Mavericks ahead before Brefka scored her second goal of the game in the 58th minute, following another Testa assist, after Brefka took a penalty corner, making it 3-1. McClure made a final save in the 59th minute to preserve the win, giving Mercy the 3-1 win and their first ECC win.
Mercy was led by Brefka who scored a career-high two goals and now has a team-high four goals. Benvengo netted her second goal of the year, and Testa now has a team-high four assists on the year. Smith now has a team-high five defensive saves and sophomore Gianna Bevacqua (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) picked up her second defensive save of the year. McClure made a game-high 14 saves to pick up her second win of the season.
Molloy was led by Benasutti who scored and by Kayla Monique Lipscomb who made nine saves to take the loss.
Molloy held a 20-18 edge in shots, an 18-13 edge in shots on goal and a 12-9 edge in penalty corners.
Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks resume action on Monday, October 12th when they host Bentley in their Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Game at 2 p.m.
