DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. — D'Youville University women's lacrosse fell to No. 1 Mercy University with a final score of 9–27 in the ECC Women's Lacrosse Championship semifinal at Mercy Field.
D'Youville opened the first quarter with a strong offensive performance, as
Sam Newlin scored the first goal of the game at 13:51, assisted by
Danielle Gephart. This was quickly followed by another goal from
Madison Handley at 13:07, assisted by
Madison Buck, giving D'Youville an early lead. Despite Mercy's efforts to retaliate with back-to-back goals, D'Youville's Newlin struck again at 8:47 to keep the game tightly contested.
The quarter saw back-and-forth action, with the Mavs eventually pulling ahead, but D'Youville's
Lily Buckley found the net at 7:13, leveling the score once again. As the clock wound down,
Lauren Parker capitalized on a free position attempt at 00:38, narrowing the gap. The first quarter concluded with Mercy leading 7–5.
D'Youville made a notable push in the second quarter, starting with Handley's goal at 10:06, assisted by Buck. This was swiftly followed by another goal from Buck at 9:24 during a player-up situation, narrowing the gap. Handley continued to contribute with a free position goal at 6:05, keeping the pressure on the Mavs.
However, the Mavs responded strongly, including a pair of goals which ultimately extended its lead. Despite D'Youville's efforts, the quarter ended with the Mavs ahead 15–8.
D'Youville opened the third quarter with a draw control by Parker, but struggled to convert on opportunities as shots by Newlin and Handley were saved by Mercy. Despite several draw controls by
Breelynn Lalonde, D'Youville faced multiple turnovers and could not find the back of the net. Mercy capitalized, extending its lead with goals from Kayden Meyer and Riley Wallace, among others.
D'Youville called a timeout midway through the quarter, but the Mavs continued to control the play, adding several more goals. D'Youville's persistent efforts, including shots and ground ball pickups, were thwarted by Mercy's defense and goalkeeper. The quarter concluded with D'Youville unable to score, and the final score stood at Mercy 21, D'Youville 8, ending the game.
D'Youville's efforts in the fourth quarter saw a brief moment of success when Newlin scored a player-up goal at 10:16, following a draw control by Lalonde. Despite this, Mercy's offensive pressure was unrelenting. The quarter ended with a score of 27–9 in favor of the Mavs, concluding the game.
Handley led the scoring for D'Youville with three goals on six shots, all of which were on target. Lalonde contributed significantly in possession, collecting nine draw controls. Buck provided a balanced attack, recording one goal and two assists, including a player-up goal. Gephart facilitated the offense with two assists, helping to create scoring opportunities.
