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Women's Soccer

No. 3 Mercy Advances to NCAA Women's Soccer East Region Championship Second Round, Defeats No. 6 Roberts Wesleyan in Penalty Shootout (0-0; 4-3)

RINDGE, N.H. – In a rematch of last Sunday’s 2025 ECC Women’s Soccer Championship Final, No. 3 Mercy and No. 6 Roberts Wesleyan met in the 2025 NCAA Women’s Soccer East Region Championship First Round at Frankin Pierce’s Sodexo Field in Rindge, N.H. on Friday afternoon. After regulation and a pair a overtime periods, the scoreless match was decided in penalty kicks, with the Mavericks edging the Redhawks, 4-3.

Mercy (14-3-3, 5-0-2) now advances to face No. 2 Franklin Pierce in the 2025 NCAA Women’s Soccer East Region Championship Second Round at Frankin Pierce’s Sodexo Field on Sunday afternoon. 

BOX SCORE

Mercy held a slight 13-8 edge in shots in regulation, with both squads landing five shots on goal apiece, but All-ECC Third Team goalkeeper Anneliese Becker of Mercy and goakeeper Mia Tyndell of Roberts Wesleyan saw an equal stat line of five saves apiece in regulation, and two saves apiece in the pair of overtime frames, to boast seven saves apiece heading into the penalty shootout. 

The first overtime saw All-ECC Second Team back Emma Best (MER) blast one wide right (96’) before Nevaeh Bunch (RWU) launched one top left just 38 seconds later, but Becker came up with her sixth save of the match.

Bunch and All-ECC Second Team midfielder Kara Choate (RWU) fired off back-to-back shots in the 100th minute, but both missed the target to set up double overtime. 

Choate had another shot blocked in double overtime (103’) before All-ECC Third Team forward Alyssa Hackett (RWU) forced Becker into her seventh save of the match (104’). 

Mercy then got into their attacking zone, as Best (105’) and All-ECC First Team midfielder Camila Salvador (107’) put shots on frame, but Tyndell came up with her sixth and seventh stops of the day.

The penalty shootout saw All-ECC Second Team back Cami Brescia (RWU) and ECC Defensive Player of the Year Sarah Lill Hanks (MER) convert in Round 1, but a Redhawk miss in the second round gave the Mavs an edge. Best calmly converted to put Mercy up, 2-1, after Round 2.

All-ECC Third Team midfielder Larissa Johnston (RWU), who had the match-winning assist in the ECC Women’s Soccer Championship Final, and Ella Gallino (MER) converted in Round 3 and All-ECC Second Team forward Mackenzie Hagan (RWU) and Salvador (MER) converted in Round 4 before Roberts missed in Round 5.

ECC Women’s Soccer Tournament champion Roberts Wesleyan closes its season 11-3-5 overall (4-1-2 ECC).