NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — The Mercyhurst women's lacrosse team fell to Iona with a final score of 9-14 at Mazzella Field on Wednesday. The Lakers managed three power-play goals during the contest but could not overcome Iona's offensive output.
The Lakers opened the first quarter with a solid defensive effort, as
Maggie Allen made several key saves early on. Despite the initial defensive stops, Iona capitalized on an offensive opportunity with Calen Norton scoring the first goal of the game.
Maggie Sheehan provided a crucial moment for the Green and Blue, scoring a man-up goal on a free position shot to put the team on the board. However, the Gales responded with a goal, extending their lead.
Iona continued to maintain the pressure, adding another goal before the quarter ended. The first quarter concluded with the Lakers trailing 4-1, setting the stage for a challenging comeback.
The second quarter saw Mercyhurst capitalizing on offensive opportunities, with
Emma Cimino scoring a goal at 11:31 to close the gap.
Whitley Easton followed with a man-up goal, assisted by Sheehan, at 9:50, leveling the score at 4-4.
Iona responded with a goal at 7:41, reclaiming a one-goal advantage. Despite a turnover by Iona's Maliya Haddock caused by
Katie Ventresca, Iona extended its lead with Grove scoring twice, once at 4:14 and again at 2:50 during a man-up.
The Lakers' efforts to regain control included a draw control by
Natalie Wilson after Grove's second goal, but subsequent attempts, including a free position shot by
Audrey Seibold, were saved. The quarter concluded with Iona leading 7-4.
The Lakers opened the third quarter with a momentum shift as Sheehan scored a man-up goal assisted by Easton, bringing the score to 7-8. After Iona responded with a man-up goal of its own, Easton found the net again with a free position shot, leveling the score at 8-8.
Iona regained the lead with a goal by Smith, followed by an insurance goal from Sydney Grassi, pushing its advantage to 10-8. Easton continued to challenge Iona's defense but was denied late in the quarter. Despite a strong offensive push, the quarter concluded with Mercyhurst trailing 10-7.
The Lakers faced a challenging fourth quarter as the Gales widened their lead. Iona scored early  finding the net at the 12:06 mark, followed by a goal at 9:17, increasing their advantage. Cimino responded for Mercyhurst with a goal assisted by
Keira Mangels at 5:49, bringing the visitors some momentum.
Despite the effort, Iona continued its scoring pressure with goals from Norton and Grove, extending their lead further. However, Wilson capitalized on a free position shot at 1:23, adding another score for Mercyhurst. The quarter concluded with Iona maintaining a 14-9 lead.
Easton led the offense for the Lakers with four goals on seven shots, adding one assist to her performance. Sheehan contributed significantly, scoring twice and assisting once, with both goals coming from power plays. Cimino found the net twice, converting one of her goals unassisted. In goal, Allen made 13 saves on 39 shots faced, helping to keep the defense steady.
The Lakers hold an overall record of 0-5. They will next play Saturday, March 14th as they face New Haven to open NEC play.
