DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The Mercy University Women's Lacrosse Team opens its 2026 season on Tuesday, February 17th when they play at Georgian Court University at 2 p.m.

Who, When and Where

Date/Time: Tuesday, February 17th 2 p.m.

Records (2025): Mercy (10-7), Georgian Court (8-11)

Location: Lakewood, N.J.

Last Meeting vs. Georgian Court

Mercy earned a 15-3 win over Georgian Court on February 19, 2025.

Scouting the Mavericks

The Mavericks were picked first in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 10-7 last season, falling in the ECC Championship Final. Mercy received votes nationally in the IWLCA Preseason Top 25 poll. The Mavericks look to make the ECC Tournament for the 10th straight season and looks to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time since 2017. Head Coach Dawn Sachs and the Mavericks will face five schools currently ranked in the IWLCA poll.

Sachs and the Mavericks return six ECC All-Conference selections from a year ago, highlighted by ECC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-American Honorable Mention selection sophomore Ashlinn Kelly. Kelly was named IWLCA Second Team All-Region, ECC Midfielder and Rookie of the Year and First Team All-ECC last season. The midfielder ended the 2025 season with 48 goals, 17 assists, 65 points, 29 caused turnovers, 23 ground balls and 15 draw controls. Senior Olivia LaMonica also returns after being named ECC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. LaMonica was named Second Team All-ECC last season after going 10-7 in goal with 120 saves, a .448 save percentage and 10.16 goals-against average.

Also returning for the Mavericks is senior Emily Marino who was named First Team All-ECC last season after recording 24 caused turnovers and 32 ground balls. Junior Riley Wallace returns after being named First Team All-ECC following a season in which she had 47 goals, 11 assists and 58 points. Senior Maeghan Callow is back after being named Second Team All-ECC in 2025. Callow had 17 goals, eight assists, 25 points and 67 draw controls. Sophomore Kayden Meyer was named Second Team All-ECC last year after recording 38 goals, 14 assists and 52 points. Senior Andrea Mott returns for the Mavericks after missing last season due to injury. Mott was named Second Team All-ECC in 2024 after posting 16 goals, 28 assists and 44 points, leading the team in assists.

Junior Juliana Talenti returns after recording 15 goals, 19 assists, 34 points and 27 ground balls. Sophomore Dakota Dieumegard is also back after posting four goals and five assists and junior Madison Traversa and sophomores Sofia Knudsen and Kiera Medina also return.

Seniors Kaci Bates and Rita-Marie Masi also return on defense for Mercy. Bates started 16 games last season and recorded three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Masi started 13 games and had 21 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers. Sophomore Leanna Kwarta is back after starting eight games in 2025 with four caused turnovers. Juniors Olivia Van Dyke and Ashley McQuade also return for the Mavericks.

Also returning in goal for the Mavericks are junior Olivia Bradley and sophomore Liz Byrne. The duo combined for 12 saves last season.

Joining the Mavericks as transfers are sophomore Angela Taddeo and graduate student Kate McNally. Taddeo joins the Mavericks from Division I Stony Brook University and McNally joins Mercy from Division III SUNY Oswego.

Sachs also brings in a strong freshmen recruiting class with Ava Franco, Brigid Burns, Brielle Bilello, Sophia Pittoni, Keira Laibach, Jessica Grzelaczyk, Emma Synan, Emma Batter, and Molly Solnick looking to contribute immediately.

Mercy looks to win their season opener for the 13th time in 14 seasons. The Mavericks are 9-1 all-time against the Lions with the lone loss coming in 2015.

Scouting the Lions

Georgian Court was picked fourth in the CACC Preseason Poll after going 8-11 last season, falling in the CACC Tournament Semifinals. Leading the returners for the Lions is Caitlin Petrellese who had 48 goals, six assists, 55 ground balls, 28 caused turnovers and 83 draw controls last season. Gabrielle Battle returns after recording 28 goals and 20 assists and Nena Menard is back after producing 39 goals and six assists. Cadence Gentile returns in goal after going 5-6 with 69 saves, a .377 save percentage and 13.37 goals-against average. Natalie Moradian also returns in goal after going 3-4 with 87 saves, a .458 save percentage and 11.75 goals-against average.

Next Game

Mercy plays at Southern New Hampshire on Saturday, February 21st at 1 p.m.