DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – For the 11th year, Mercy University Athletics will recap the year by counting down the Top-10 most memorable moments of the 2025-26 season, with all 10 sports represented.
Mercy University Athletics will release a Top-10 moment, as chosen by the athletics staff, with a recap every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next three weeks culminating with the top moment from the 2025-26 athletic year being unveiled on Monday, August 3rd.
No. 9 – Field Hockey Nearly Qualifies for NE10 Championship
Coming in at No. 9 in our 2025-26 Top-10 Moments is field hockey who nearly qualified for the NE10 Championship in their final season as members of the NE10.
Head Coach Marissa Spinazzola and the Mavericks entered the 2025 season picked 11th in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 6-11 overall and 3-10 in NE10 play in 2024. Mercy opened their 2025 season with a 1-0 loss at Roberts Wesleyan on September 5th, despite a game-high-tying four saves from senior Rebecca McClure.
The Mavericks bounced back on September 7th, earning their first win of the season with a 4-1 win at D'Youville. Graduate student Jessica Evans, sophomores Madison Brefka and Charlotte Sabert and junior Madison Preston all scored in the win. Mercy then headed to Millersville where they dropped a 4-0 decision. Rebecca McClure and Kaylise McClure combined for 16 saves as Mercy fell to 1-2 on the year.
Brefka scored a goal on September 13th as the Mavericks fell to Southern Connecticut State. Mercy then hosted No. 6 Bloomsburg on September 14th in their home opener with Sabert scoring. The Mavericks scored the first goal allowed by Bloomsburg in their first five games of the season.
Mercy opened NE10 play on September 17th at Pace. Kaylise McClure made a career-high 21 saves in her first collegiate start as the Mavericks dropped a hard-fought 4-3 double-overtime decision. The 21 saves by McClure were the most by a Mercy goalie since Lauren Viscione recorded 21 saves against Pace on October 11, 2022. Sabert, Brefka and Evans scored in the game.
Spinazzola and the Mavericks snapped a four-game losing streak and picked up their first NE10 win of the season when they defeated American International, 4-2, on September 20th. Evans had a game-high two goals and McClure made five saves to secure her first collegiate win as Mercy defeated the Yellow Jackets for the fifth straight time.
The Mavericks made it two wins in a row when they earned a 2-0 win over Molloy on September 24th. Evans scored both goals and Kaylise McClure made six saves for her first collegiate shutout as Mercy improved to 3-5 overall and 2-1 in NE10 play, defeating the Lions for the 11th straight time.
Mercy hosted Bentley on September 27th and held their own before falling 5-3. Sabert had a game-high-tying two goals and Kaylise McClure made a game-high 19 saves. Junior Alyssa Benvengo contributed her first career goal and Brefka and senior Samantha Trickel added assists.
The Mavericks resumed action on September 30th when they fell, 2-0, at Adelphi. Kaylise McClure made a game-high 17 saves, sophomore Eunice Santiago had a game-high two defensive saves and junior Kate Lynne Conklin also had a defensive save.
On October 8th, Mercy dropped a narrow 2-1 overtime decision to Franklin Pierce at Mercy Field. Evans scored and Kaylise McClure made nine saves. Following the week of games, McClure was named to the NE10's Faces in the Crowd for the first time.
Spinazzola and the Mavericks got back in the win column on October 11th when they earned a convincing 5-0 win at Saint Michael's. Benvengo and Evans both had a game-high two goals and Sabert also added a goal. The win matched Mercy's NE10 win total from 2024, and the five-goal margin of victory was the largest for the Mavericks over Saint Michael's in program history.
Mercy returned to Dobbs Ferry, hosting Southern Connecticut State on October 14th. Despite a game-high six saves from Kaylise McClure, the Mavericks dropped a 1-0 decision to the Owls. After the week was over, Evans was named to the NE10's Faces in the Crowd for the first time.
The Mavericks hosted Southern New Hampshire on October 18th. Trickel scored and sophomore Adrianna Taynor added her first defensive save of the season, but the Mavericks dropped a 3-1 decision to the Penmen.
On October 25th, Mercy played at defending National Champion No. 9 Saint Anselm. Despite a combined 17 saves from Kaylise McClure and Rebecca McClure, the Mavericks fell to the Hawks for the 11th straight time.
Mercy improved to 5-11 overall and 4-7 in NE10 play on October 28th when they earned a 4-2 win over St. Thomas Aquinas. Evans recorded a hat trick and added an assist for a career-high seven points. Sabert added a goal and an assist and freshman Gwendolyn Smith dished out two assists. Kaylise McClure made nine saves to earn the win. The Mavericks surpassed their NE10 win total from 2024.
The Mavericks hosted No. 8 Assumption for Senior Day on November 1st. Prior to the game, Mercy honored Rebecca McClure, Reagan Lane, Trickel and Evans. Rebecca McClure made the start in goal and made a career-high 23 saves as Mercy dropped their final game of the season to the Greyhounds. The 23 saves by McClure were the most by a Maverick goalie since Julia Amell made 25 saves against Assumption on September 6, 2015. Conklin and Santiago also added defensive saves. Following the week, Evans was named to the NE10's Faces in the Crowd for the second time.
At the conclusion of the season, Evans was named Third Team All-Conference by the NE10. The graduate student became the Mavericks' first All-Conference selection since 2023. Evans appeared in 16 games making 14 starts with a career-high 12 goals and 27 points. She led the team in goals and points, was second in the NE10 in goals and fifth in points. Evans produced the second most goals and points in a single season in program history.
Evans was also named to the 2025 NFHCA Division II Senior Team. The forward ends her career with 18 goals, four assists, 40 points and four game-winning goals in 62 games. She ranks in the top 10 in program history in goals and points.
Mercy also excelled in the classroom posting a 3.66 GPA during the 2025-26 academic year. The Mavericks had 12 student-athletes named to the NFHCA Division II National Academic Squad and Trickel, Rebecca McClure, Kaylise McClure, sophomore Camryn Shea, Smith and freshman Gianna Bevacqua were named NFHCA Scholars of Distinction. Mercy also earned the NFHCA Division II National Academic Team Award for the second straight year and Lane, Rebecca McClure and Trickel earned the NE10 Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence.
Spinazzola and the Mavericks begin playing in the East Coast Conference (ECC) in 2026 and will look to make noise in the first year of the conference.
Schedule for the Top-10 Moments of the 2025-26 Season
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next three weeks, the Mercy University Athletic Department will release the Top-10 moments one at a time beginning with the No. 10 moment on Monday, July 13th. The No. 1 moment will be unveiled on Monday, August 3rd.
No. 1 – August 3rd
No. 2 – July 31st
No. 3 – July 29th
No. 4 - July 27th
No. 5 – July 24th
No. 6 – July 22nd
No. 7 – July 20th
No. 8 – July 17th
No. 9 – July 15th
No. 10 – Men's Basketball Earns ECC Academic Team of Excellence and Kohen Rowbatham is Named Third Team All-ECC and All-Met Honorable Mention
