Gwynedd Valley, Pa. - (4/20/2022) - Mirrored in regulation, Gwynedd Mercy University (8-7, 1-2) and Marywood University (4-7, 1-3) took to overtime knotted at 13-13 (0:58). There, a scoreless framed passed before the Pacers netted the game-winning-goal with four minutes remaining in the second overtime; 14-13 (4:00, 2OT). Senior defender Seydel Acuna (Philadelphia, Pa.) ensured the extra play with a touch-goal off the feed from senior attack Anna Grace Bernicker (Merion Station, Pa.), who fueled the Griffins through today's Atlantic East Conference (AEC) contest with team-highs in points (8; 5 goals, 3 assists) and ground balls (6). Junior goalkeeper Reilly Owens (Pottstown, Pa.) recorded the 300th save of her collegiate career with her first save of the contest (9:04, 1QTR) and senior attack Laura Pelczar (Philadelphia, Pa.) recorded the 100th point of her collegiate career with an unassisted score that brought the Griffins within a goal of Marywood University late in the third quarter (11-10, 3:05).  

Marywood broke from the early back-and-forth with the last three goals of the first quarter; 6-3 (1:25). In the second, Marywood University's advantage briefly slipped to five scores, 8-3 (7:19), before goals from freshman defender Cheyenne Avellino (Egg Harbor, N.J.) (8-4, 5:32) and Bernicker (8-5, 3:30) returned the spread the three tallies for intermission. Pelczar scored the first two goals of the third quarter (11:58, 9:54), after Bernicker fueled the Gwynedd Mercy University effort. She found freshman attack Alysia Collins (Royersford, Pa.) to tie the game with 55 seconds remaining in the third quarter; 11-11 (0:55), and later located freshman attack Hailey Bloom (Margate City, N.J.) (13-12, 2:46) and Acuna (13-13, 0:58) for the Griffins' fourth-quarter scores.

Bernicker's eight points matched a career-high, while her three assists and six ground balls set career-highs. Pelczar finished with five points (4 goals, assist), three ground balls, four draw controls, and a caused turnover. Acuna (2 ground balls, 3 caused turnovers), Avellino (2, 4), and junior Mackenzie Oprishko (Scotrun, Pa.) (1, 3) combined for five ground balls and 10 caused turnovers in front of Reilly. She took the loss (8-7) despite totaling eight saves, four ground balls, and a caused turnovers.

Gwynedd Mercy University returns to the GMercyU Athletic Complex on Saturday, April 23, when they continue their AEC schedule with a 12:00 p.m. Senior Day contest versus Cabrini University.