DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (March 5, 2022) -- A 10-3 run through the second and third quarters was more than enough for No. 14 nationally-ranked Mercy on Saturday, as the home-standing Mavericks dealt the Franklin Pierce University women's lacrosse team an 18-7 defeat, in the latter's season opener at Mercy Field. Seniors Kerri Cummings and Juliana Keenan led the way for Mercy in the non-conference affair, as each had five points on three goals and two assists, while graduate student Caroline Lounsbury (Franklin, Mass.) went for four points (2-2-4) and senior Kaitlyn Daly (LaGrangeville, N.Y.) had a hat trick in defeat for the Ravens. 

With the loss, Franklin Pierce opens its season at 0-1, while Mercy improves to 2-1.

Franklin Pierce scored two of the first three goals, as graduate student Jenna Cimbron (Bristol, R.I.) set up Lounsbury 4:27 into the proceedings, and then Lounsbury set up junior Gabrielle Oswald (Nedrow, N.Y.) at the 7:29 mark. The two tallies came on either side of Keenan's first goal of the afternoon, but then it was all Mercy from then on. Graduate student Briana Corace, senior Taylor Bishop and Keenan all found the net before the first quarter was out, as the Mavericks took a 4-2 lead they would never relinquish.

Mercy poured it on through the middle two quarters. Five different Mavericks, including Bishop again, scored in the second frame, against just a tally from Daly for Franklin Pierce. In the third stanza, Cummings had a pair as Mercy posted a 5-2 advantage and built the lead all the way out to 14-5. Lounsbury and Daly provided the first two goals of the fourth quarter, but then Keenan and Cummings both capped their hat tricks, and the Mavericks scored the game's final four goals to create the 18-7 final.

For Franklin Pierce, Lounsbury (2-2-4), Daly (3-0-3) and Cimbron (1-1-2) were the multiple-point scorers on the day, while Oswald chipped in a goal as well. Junior Erin Blake (Southborough, Mass.) led all players with six ground balls, while Cimbron and senior Riley Lynch (Medford, Mass.) caused a pair of turnovers each.

For Mercy, Cummings (3-2-5) and Keenan (3-2-5) led the way, while Corace added a hat trick and sophomore Kelly Rosenfeld and senior Kaitlyn Grzelaczyk contributed 2-1-3 apiece. Rosenfeld and senior Micayla Brady led the Mavericks with four ground balls each, while Brady piled up six caused turnovers.

Blake (0-1) finished with 12 saves against 30 shots on her goal in the loss for Franklin Pierce. Senior Madeline Garvalosa (2-1) stopped nine of 16 shots over 53:45 of work to pick up the win for Mercy.

The Ravens are back on the road on Wednesday, March 9, when they travel to Roberts Wesleyan for a non-conference contest in Rochester, N.Y.