Rockville Centre, N.Y. – For the fifth time in the last five seasons, the top-seeded Molloy women's soccer team will play for the East Coast Conference Championship, after defeating the fourth-seeded Mavericks of Mercy University, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at John A. Darcy Field. With the victory, the Lions improve to 11-4-2 while the Mavericks end the season 10-8-2.
 
How it Happened

• Mercy had the first chance of the game in the second minute, when Hailey Metzger fired a shot to an unattended net that went wide.
• 10 minutes would go by before Molloy's first chance. Junior Mikaela Barriga created space to her right and fired a long range shot that was saved by Mercy goalkeeper Anneliese Becker.
• The Mavericks generated two great chances four seconds apart to threaten the scoreboard. Amiah Washington received a pass inside the six-yard box and fired a shot that was denied by sophomore Elyse Muñoz and the rebound from point blank range was sent away by Muñoz again to keep Mercy off the board.
• In the 22^nd minute, Barriga would once again look for goal from long range, but Becker was there to make the save.
• Seven minutes later, sophomore Isabella Muro was able to get into the 18-yard back to fire a shot to the back post, but once again Becker would deny the chance to keep the game scoreless.
• In the 30^th minute, Mercy was awarded a penalty kick following a foul inside the 18-yard box. Washington would step to the penalty spot and fire the attempt into the back of the net to give the Mavericks a 1-0 lead.
• Six minutes later, Washington would generate another chance and fire a shot that forced Muñoz to make a save off the crossbar to keep the contest at 1-0.
• The cardinal and white would have two chances in the final minute of the first half, both off the foot of Muro, but the sophomore had both chances saved sending the game into halftime, 1-0, in favor of Mercy.
• 2:04 into the second half, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after Muro was taken down in the box. With a chance to tie the game, Muro stepped up and found the back of the net bringing the contest all square at one.
• 47 seconds later, a header shot attempt from Emma Best off a corner kick was denied by Muñoz to keep the contest tied.
• In the 56^th minute, the home team earned another penalty kick after Barriga drew a foul inside the box. Barriga stepped to the spot to take the kick and converted to put Molloy ahead, 2-1.
• The road team looked to tie the contest quickly, two minutes later. Ancksu Dixon created space to threaten, but Muñoz made the denial.
• In search of the tying goal, the Mavericks generated three shots spanning from the 63^rd minute to the 66^th minute. One shot went wide, but Muñoz made a pair of saved on Dixon and Hailey Metzger to keep Molloy in front.
• Throughout the remainder of the contest the teams would be deadlocked, not allowing a chance on either side for 23 minutes.
• The final opportunity came with four seconds remaining when Metzger would looked to tie it up, but her attempt would go wide of target to clinch the victory for the Lions, 1-0.

Top Performances

• Muro netted a goal while leading the team with five shots and five shots on goal.
• Barriga tallied the contests winning goal while totaling three shots and three shots on goal.
• In goal, Muñoz made eight saves to secure the victory.

Up Next
The top-seeded Lions will welcome the second-seeded Daemen University Wildcats to Rockville Centre Saturday, November 16 in a rematch of the 2023 East Coast Conference Championship. Kick-off from John A. Darcy Field is set for 12:00 p.m.