DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by a game-high two goals from senior Alyssa Benvengo (East Islip, N.Y./Molloy University) and a goal and an assist from junior Lilliauna Tepper (Sayville, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) and freshman Reagan Hunsberger (Waterloo, Ontario/Bluevale Collegiate Institute), the Mercy University Field Hockey Team earned a 5-0 win over ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas College on Tuesday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (4-7, 3-2 ECC) have won two games in a row and three of their last four games. Mercy defeats the Spartans (0-11, 0-5 ECC) for the second straight time.
Mercy forced STAC goalkeeper Evelyn McEwen to make three saves in the first quarter and the score remained 0-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Benvengo gave Mercy a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute when she finished off a cross from Tepper. The score remained 1-0 at halftime with the Mavericks allowing just one Spartan shot in the half.
Junior Kaylise McClure (Lake Grove, N.Y./Sachem North) made two saves to begin the third quarter before Benvengo deflected in a sophomore Gwendolyn Smith (Sound Beach, N.Y./Miller Place) shot, following a junior Madison Brefka (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero North Syracuse) penalty corner, giving Mercy a 2-0 lead in the 36th minute. Tepper later made it 3-0 in the 37th minute, following a Hunsberger assist, and the Mavericks headed into the fourth quarter with a 3-0 lead.
Sabert gave Mercy a 4-0 lead in the 48th minute when she made her way through the STAC defense and fired a shot past McEwen. Hunsberger later made it 5-0 in the 53rd minute when she put in a Sabert shot that was originally stopped by McEwen. Freshman Sarah Abbas (Waxhaw, N.C./Marvin Ridge) made three saves to close out the game, giving Mercy the 5-0 win.
Mercy was led by Benvengo who scored a game-high two goals and now has a team-high five goals on the year. Tepper recorded her first collegiate goal and assist and Sabert netted her fourth goal of the season. Hunsberger scored her second goal of the season and dished out her first collegiate assist. Smith added her second assist of the year, and McClure made two saves to earn her fourth win of the season. Abbas made a career-high-tying three saves in the fourth quarter to preserve the shutout.
STAC was led by McEwen who made a game-high 11 saves to take the loss.
Mercy held a 24-9 edge in shots, a 17-5 edge in shots on goal, and an 11-8 edge in penalty corners.
Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, October 24th when they host D'Youville at 11 a.m.
