STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Powered by a game-high two goals from freshman Astrid Borglund (Stockholm, Sweden/Hersby Gymnasium), the Mercy University Women's Soccer Team secured their second straight ECC Regular Season Championship with a 3-1 win at College of Staten Island on Saturday afternoon at Dolphins Soccer Park.
The Mavericks (10-3-4, 6-1 ECC) secure their second straight ECC Regular Season Championship and the fifth in program history. Mercy finishes with their most ECC wins since 2022, and the Mavericks have now recorded double-digit wins in three straight seasons under Head Coach Jack Nicholson. Mercy defeats the Dolphins (2-8-1, 2-4-1 ECC) for the sixth straight time. Mercy has secured the No. 1 seed in next week's ECC Women's Soccer Championship and will host the winner of Roberts Wesleyan/D'Youville in a semifinal matchup on Saturday, October 31st at 1 p.m. at Mercy Field.
Mercy forced Staten Island goalkeeper Oksana Zahirna to make eight early saves in the first half before Borglund scored in the 34th minute, giving the Mavericks a 1-0 lead. Mercy headed into halftime with a 1-0 lead.
Junior Anneliese Becker (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) made two saves to begin the second half before Caitlyn Thompson scored for the Dolphins in the 75th minute, off a penalty kick, tying the game at 1-1.
The score remained 1-1 until the 86th minute when Borglund scored, giving Mercy a 2-1 lead. Sophomore Camila Salvador (Santiago, Chile/Santiago College) later scored in the 88th minute, off a senior Femke Demets (Avelgem, Belgium/University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) assist, giving the Mavericks a 3-1 lead they would not relinquish.
Mercy was led by Borglund who now has a team-high and ECC-best 12 goals on the year and six game-winning goals. Salvador scored her second goal of the year and Demets dished out her team-leading and ECC-best seventh assist of the year. Becker made four saves to earn her seventh win of the season.
Staten Island was led by Thompson who scored and by Zahirna who made a game-high 13 saves to take the loss.
Mercy held a 19-6 edge in shots, a 16-5 edge in shots on goal and a 5-0 edge in corner kicks.
Head Coach Jack Nicholson and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, October 31st when they host the winner of Roberts Wesleyan/D'Youville in an ECC Championship Semifinal at 1 p.m.
