TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Nikki Mercer scored twice, including the game-winning goal with 19.6 seconds left in regulation, to lead the University of Rochester to a 2-1 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in a Liberty League field hockey game at Harkness Field.
 
Both of Mercer's goals were off penalty corners with the second coming on a pass across the goal mouth from Leona Fisher. Fisher started the play with a penalty corner insertion and the ball eventually found its way back to her on the left side. She sent a pass into traffic in front of the goal, where Mercer pushed the ball into the back of the cage with the clock winding down.
 
The game started with Rensselaer striking early, taking a 1-0 lead at 6:01 when sophomore Kaitlyn Stulen scored off a rebound of a Charisse Stakutis shot. Stulen started the play with an insert from the left side on a penalty corner and Stakutis's shot was blocked. Stulen swept in the loose ball for her first goal of the season.
 
The score remained 1-0 until only 51 seconds remained in the half and the Yellowjackets capitalized on a corner of their own. A shot by Amanda Strenk was knocked down on the goal line by RPI defender Mikayla Berman, but the ball bounced right to Mercer, who snapped a shot into the cage. The goal was her sixth of the season.
 
Rochester went into the break with a 5-2 lead in shots and a 3-2 edge in corners. The Yellowjackets finished with a 7-4 lead in shots and 7-3 in corners.
 
Kate Kujawa had a save in the win, while Jen Richardson stopped one shot for the Engineers.
 
Both teams return to the field on Sunday with RPI (0-13; 0-4 Liberty League) at William Smith College and Rochester (10-5; 3-1 Liberty League) hosting Vassar College. The two games are Liberty League contests that begin at noon.