DOBBS FERRY, N.Y.-  Senior Kristen McMahon records a double double as the Dowling College women’s basketball team takes down Mercy College 71-65 to pick up their first win of the season.  The Golden Lions move to 1-6 on the season 1-1 in East Coast Conference play.   The Mavericks fall to 6-2 overall, 0-1 ECC
 
Three Golden Lions finished in double figures with redshirt senior Nicole Caggiano posting a game high 18 points.  Senior Christine Verrelle finished with 16 points including a perfect 8 for 8 performance at the free throw line while adding eight assists and four steals.  McMahon rounded out the top scorers with 15 points paired with 12 boards. 
 
Mercy’s Brandone tallied a double double of her own with 17 points and a game high 17 rebounds.  Coming off the bench, Tatiana Parish added 17 points going 5 for 6 from three-point range.  Tanayzha Augustine came away with 12 points and ten boards. 
 
After trailing by ten, 41-31, at the break, the Golden Lions began chipping away using a 10-3 run to cut the deficit to three, 44-41, in the opening three minutes of the half.  The Mavericks held their lead over the next 11 minutes of play, but McMahon grabbed an offensive board and found Caggiano who knocked down two points giving the Golden Lions their first lead of the night, 54-53.   Junior Krstina Surlan put up five unanswered points extending the DC advantage to six, 59-53, with 4:32 left in the clock.  Mercy would get back to within three, following a Deasia Goodson layup with :35 left in the game, but key free throws from Verrelle kept the game in favor of the Golden Lions as they came away with the 71-65 win.
 
The Golden Lions finished shooting 31.4% from the field with the Mavericks coming in at 40.6%.  Dowling was out rebounded 52-40, but they turned 22 Mercy turnovers into 19 points.
 
The Golden Lions return to Dowling Gymnasium Saturday, December 13^th as they host St. Thomas Aquinas College.  Tip off is set for 12:00 PM.