DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by a game-high two goals from junior Charlotte Sabert (Mohegan Lake, N.Y./Lakeland) and the game-winning goal from freshman Addison Testa (Danbury, Conn./Danbury), the Mercy University Field Hockey Team earned a 5-2 win over ECC foe D'Youville University on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Field.
The Mavericks (5-7, 4-2 ECC) have won three games in a row and four of their last five games. Mercy splits the season series with the Saints (5-8, 3-3 ECC) and matches their win total from last year.
D'Youville took a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute when Madison Grawl scored, following a Breanna Puccia assist after Grawl took a penalty corner. The Saints headed into the second quarter with a 1-0 lead.
Senior Alyssa Benvengo (East Islip, N.Y./Molloy University) tied the game at 1-1 in the 18th minute following a junior Lilliauna Tepper (Sayville, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) shot that was stopped by Sarah Reifsnyder. The Saints took a 2-1 lead in the 21st minute when Bridgette MacKinnon deflected in a Jimena Loustalot shot.
Sabert scored her first goal of the game in the 25th minute following a junior Madison Brekfa (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero North Syracuse) penalty corner, tying the game at 2-2. The score remained tied at halftime.
Mercy took their first lead of the game in the 39th minute when Testa scored, giving Mercy 3-2 lead. Sabert later made it 4-2 in the 43rd minute with her second goal of the game and junior Kaylise McClure (Lake Grove, N.Y./Sachem North) came up with a penalty stroke save in the 45th minute, keeping the score 4-2 at the end of the third quarter.
McClure made another save in the 49th minute to keep Mercy ahead 4-2. Tepper deflected in a freshman Reagan Hunsberger (Waterloo, Ontario/Bluevale Collegiate Institute) shot, giving the Mavericks a 5-2 lead in the 54th minute. McClure closed out the game with two saves, giving Mercy the 5-2 win.
Mercy was led by Sabert who now has a team-high-tying six goals on the year. Benvengo recorded her team-high-tying sixth goal of the season and Testa added her third goal of the year and first career game-winning goal. Tepper netted her second goal of the year and Hunsberger dished out her second assist of the year. Junior Adrianna Taynor (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) made her fifth defensive save of the season and McClure made a game-high seven saves to earn her fifth win of the season. McClure now has 163 saves on the year, tying the single-season school record for saves set by Julia Amell in 2015.
D'Youville was led by Grawl and MacKinnon who both scored. Hallie Villavechia made three saves in the second half to take the loss.
D'Youville held a 22-14 edge in shots, Mercy held a 13-10 edge in shots on goal and D'Youville held an 11-3 edge in penalty corners.
Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, October 28th when they host Roberts Wesleyan at 12 p.m.
