Liam MacKenzie – Treasurer/Sports Editor
Lowell, MA – How sweet it feels to be in the winners’ column. On Friday, September 25, the Merrimack Warriors field hockey team secured its first victory of the 2026 season, defeating the Mercyhurst Lakers, 2-1, at Cushing Field in Lowell.
The victory carried additional significance for Merrimack, as it came during the Warriors’ home opener. It also marked the first career coaching victory for head coach Christina Hathaway, giving the Warriors another reason to celebrate after waiting through the opening stretch of the season for their first win.
Cioni Puts the Warriors on the Board – Merrimack established an early offensive presence and found the back of the cage with 17:26 remaining in the opening quarter. Gianna Cioni recorded her first goal of the season to give the Warriors an early 1-0 advantage.
The Warriors continued to apply pressure and extended their lead less than two minutes later. At the 18:57 mark, Kaitlyn Welsh scored off an assist from Darla Mahoney, giving Merrimack a 2-0 advantage.
Merrimack Takes Control – With two goals on the board, Merrimack carried its momentum into the remainder of the opening half. The Warriors entered halftime with a 2-0 advantage, putting themselves in position to secure their first victory of the season.
The Warriors’ early offensive production provided a much-needed spark in their home opener. Merrimack’s defense also held Mercyhurst scoreless through the first half, allowing the Warriors to maintain their two-goal cushion.
Lakers Cut Into the Lead – Mercyhurst came out of the halftime break looking to close the gap. With 40:31 remaining in the contest, Finja Wunner scored off an assist from Rachel Kosowski, cutting Merrimack’s lead to 2-1.
The goal gave the Lakers an opportunity to level the contest, but Merrimack remained composed defensively. The Warriors kept Mercyhurst off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game and preserved their one-goal advantage.
Warriors Hold on for the Win – When the final whistle sounded, Merrimack had officially secured its first win of the 2026 season. The 2-1 victory moved the Warriors to 1-7 overall and 1-1 in conference play, while Mercyhurst fell to 1-6 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
The victory also provided Hathaway with the first win of her coaching career. After waiting through the first portion of the season, the Warriors finally had their breakthrough in front of their home crowd.
A Milestone Victory for Hathaway – For Hathaway, Friday night represented the beginning of her career win total as a head coach. For Merrimack, it marked the first victory of the 2026 campaign and gave the Warriors an important result to build upon.
The Warriors will now turn their attention toward their upcoming contests as they look to carry the confidence from Friday’s home-opening victory into the next stage of the season.
