Varsity Soccer
Mount Mercy’s Soccer Senior Game was truly a tale of two halves. The Magic struggled offensively in the first half and gave up two goals to Buffalo Seminary, leading to a 2-0 deficit at halftime. However, there was no panic or anger at halftime. Coach Maddie Higgins used the seven- minute halftime to talk to her team and put the team on the right path for the last forty minutes. The Magic scored twice to tie the game and force overtime. Mount Mercy scored in overtime to win the game 3-2 and earn the number two seed for the playoffs.
“We had our halftime chat and stayed positive and kept our spirits up. We made some adjustments to our game and my team was able to rally from behind,” Higgins stated.
Three minutes into the second half, sophomore Olivia Gorczyca (Lake View), assisted by classmate Brianna McCaslin (Buffalo), scored on a difficult angle shot. The Magic had many opportunities in the next thirty-four minutes, but were unable to connect. Meanwhile the team’s defense stayed strong and kept Buffalo Seminary from mounting any serious offensive challenges. With approximately three minutes left in the game, Gorczyca once again found the net on her corner kick.
In the overtime, McCaslin was tripped in the box, resulting in a penalty shot. Gorczyca calmly lined up and put the ball in the net for the hat trick and more importantly, the victory for Mount Mercy.
After the game the team honored seniors Rosie Bandura (West Seneca), Maura Higgins (Buffalo) and Amelia Labby (Buffalo).
The Magic host Buffalo Seminary in the opening game of the playoffs on Friday, October 27th at 3:30 at Pierce Field.
Picture ID: Maura Higgins, Amelia Lalley and Rosie Bandura
Cross Country
The Mount Mercy Academy Cross Country team showed great team and individual improvement in its third meet of the year, losing a heartbreaker to Buffalo Seminary 29-28. Although the team did not win, each team member who competed earlier this season, improved her time.
Freshman Lauren Seifert (Orchard Park) continued to pace the team. She came in third with a time of 22:49, shaving 1:29 off her best time. Senior Katie Regan (East Aurora) joined the team after tennis and placed fifth in her first meet with a time of 26:43. Sophomore Brynn Leonard (Buffalo) finished in sixth place with a time of 27:22, her best time of the year. Senior Addison Barth (Hamburg) after finishing her golf and tennis seasons, ran her first race of the year and was right behind Leonard in seventh place. Freshman Abby McCarthy (Hamburg) ran her first race of the year and placed eighth. Sophomore Maura Dougherty (Buffalo) took 4:32 seconds off her best time and was ninth. Freshmen Amani Alasri (Hamburg) and Zuri Taylor-Houston (Buffalo) also improved their times.
Varsity Volleyball
The Mount Mercy Academy Varsity Volleyball team had a tough week, losing all three of its matches. The team lost in three games to Saint Mary’s of Lancaster, Nardin and Sacred Heart.
Saint Mary’s of Lancaster is one of the top teams in the state and they showed it, winning 25-4, 25-3 and 25-7. Senior Meghan Balen (Cheektowaga) had two digs and an ace. Sophomore Riley Coughlin (Blasdell) contributed two aces.
Nardin defeated the Magic 25-11, 25-23 and 25-7. Coughlin and junior Mia Freedenberg (Lake View) each had four aces. Coughlin also had two kills and Freedenberg had a kill. Balen had a block and a kill. Junior Athieng Dut (Buffalo) had three kills, a block and two aces. Coach Lauren Derwin thought that Dut had a strong game at the net.
Before the Sacred Heart match, Mount Mercy honored its five seniors, Balen, Lacey Sheehan (Orchard Park), Emma Labby (Lake View), Elyse Ellicott (Buffalo) and Jayla Goodman (West Seneca).
Sacred Heart won 25-6, 25-9 and 25-11. Balen had two aces and a kill, Labby added two kills and an ace, Sheehan had a kill and Goodman had an assist and an ace. Sophomore setter Mara McCrea (West Seneca) had two aces and a kill.
The Magic closed its season with another match against Sacred Heart.
Picture ID: Lacey Sheehan, Elyse Ellicott, Jayla Goodman, Emma Labby, Meghan Balen