DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The #18 Mercy University Women's Lacrosse Team hosts ECC foe University of the District of Columbia on Saturday, April 18th at 11 a.m.

Who, When and Where

Date/Time: Saturday, April 18th 11 a.m.

Records: #18 Mercy (11-3, 4-0 ECC), District of Columbia (0-9, 0-5 ECC)

Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

Last Meeting vs. UDC

Mercy earned a 23-2 win over UDC on April 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 is receiving votes nationally in the IWLCA 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 is coming off a 20-9 loss at No. 12 Adelphi on Wednesday. The Mavericks were led by freshman Ava Franco who had a career-high-tying four goals. Mercy has been led by freshman Jessica Grzelaczyk who has a team-high 51 points on 30 goals and 21 assists. Sophomore Ashlinn Kelly has 50 points on 35 goals and 15 assists to go with 32 draw controls, 20 caused turnovers and 30 ground balls. Kelly recorded her 100th career point against STAC on March 28th. Junior Juliana Talenti has 17 assists with eight goals and sophomore Kayden Meyer has a team-high 37 goals with 46 points and 17 caused turnovers. Sophomore Angela Taddeo has 16 goals and two assists and senior Andrea Mott has 20 goals and 12 assists. Freshman Ava Franco has 23 goals and 13 assists and junior Riley Wallace has 22 goals and six assists. Wallace recorded her 100th career point at Daemen on April 11th. Senior Emily Marino has a team-high 25 caused turnovers with 33 ground balls and senior Olivia LaMonica is 9-3 in goal with 90 saves, a .431 save percentage and 10.95 goals-against average. LaMonica recorded her 300th career save against Daemen on April 11th.

Kelly was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on April 13th, LaMonica was tabbed Goalie of the Week and Callow, Grzelaczyk and Laibach were named to the Honor Roll. LaMonica, Kelly and Grzelaczyk were named to the ECC Honor Roll on April 6th. Grzelaczyk was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on March 30th, Synan was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week, Batter was named Goalie of the Week and Franco was named Rookie of the Week. Kelly and Meyer were tabbed to the Honor Roll. Meyer was named ECC Offensive Player of the Week on March 23rd, Marino was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week, LaMonica was named Goalie of the Week and Grzelaczyk was named Rookie of the Week. Marino and Kelly were named to the ECC Honor Roll on March 16th. Kelly was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week on March 9th, Franco was named Rookie of the Week and Wallace was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Meyer was named ECC Player of the Week on March 2nd and Grzelaczyk was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Grzelaczyk was named ECC Player and Rookie of the Week on February 23rd and Kelly was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week.

Mercy is ranked No. 18 nationally in the latest IWLCA Top 25 Poll and No. 13 in the USA Lacrosse Magazine Poll. The Mavericks are 10-0 all-time against the Firebirds. Mercy is one of 10 teams under consideration for a spot in the NCAA Tournament in the first NCAA Regional Rankings released on Wednesday. 

Scouting the Firebirds

UDC is coming off an 18-11 loss at STAC on Saturday. The Firebirds were picked seventh in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 1-10 last season. UDC has been led by Jada Williams who has a team-high 14 points on 11 goals and three assists. Najee Gunter has eight points on seven goals and an assist and Williams has a team-high 20 ground balls, 27 draw controls and nine caused turnovers. Natalia Perkins is 0-9 in goal with 104 saves, a .387 save percentage and 20.61 goals-against average.

Next Game

Mercy hosts D'Youville on Saturday, April 25th at 11 a.m.