DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – When the Roberts Wesleyan women's lacrosse team stepped onto the field on Sunday for the East Coast Conference championship game they did so with the same resilient spirit that they've played with all season for a small team of just 17 active players. On Sunday, they were down to just a few subs, due to injury and illness, but the Redhawks gave No. 20 Mercy all they could handle as the Mavericks snuck away with a 9-8 win.
Roberts had the advantage in the first half of play as the Redhawks took the lead on four different occasions, including a two goal lead midway through the second quarter following an
Annie Mulhall goal off an
Alexis Grant feed. Mercy closed the gap to tie the game at 6-6 before the end of the first half.
In the third quarter Mercy scored three unanswered goals to take a 9-6 lead.
Kadie Tierney then scored a free position goal with two seconds remaining in the third.
In the fourth quarter Roberts defense held Mercy scoreless, but the Redhawks were only able to find the back of the net one time when
Emma Blumenstock scored with 6:32 remaining in the game. The Redhawks had a couple of offensive chances late in the game but were unable to capitalize.
Before today's title game, Roberts' last loss of the season came on March 25 to Mercy in an 11-8 decision. The Redhawks then rallied off seven straights wins to reach the championship.
"This team went through many growing pains this season to get to this point," said head coach
Kristin Paolini. "We fought with everything we had today and gave ourselves a chance to win. I couldn't be more proud of this group of ladies."
Graduate student
Tori Lammes scored two goals and Mullhall also added a pair of goals and an assist. Grant, Tierney, Blumenstock, and
Tannah O'Neill-Blake all had one goal each.
Natalie Arieno made seven saves in net and
Shawna Lesmerises, who subbed in for Arieno in the third quarter made nine saves while only allowing one goal.
Roberts finished the season with a 12-6 record and its third straight trip to the ECC championship game.
