Volleyball Tops Molloy, 3-1; Brenna White Earns 600th Kill
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 3, 2011) – On Thursday night the Mercy College volleyball team avenged a loss earlier in the season to Molloy College by beating the Lions in a thrilling four-set match for the Mavericks' third East Coast Conference win of the year. Tonight was special not just for the win, however, as freshman outside hitter Brenna White (Gardnerville, Nev.) hit her NCAA-leading 600th kill in the third set to become just the third Maverick ever to reach the milestone.
White smashed a career-high 31 kills in the match and leads all divisions in the NCAA with 611 on the season. She reached the milestone on her 20th kill, which came halfway through the critical third set, and was presented with the match ball at the end of the night.
Mercy's record improves to 9-24 overall and 3-9 in the East Coast Conference with the victory, while Molloy drops to 8-17 (4-8).
The Mavericks jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set but the Lions responded quickly, tying things up at 10-10 before taking the lead and winning the set, 25-17, as Mercy committed 12 errors to Molloy's one. The second set stayed tight until the Mavericks' took two four-point runs, on freshman defensive specialist Christina Bjerstedt (Lebanon, Ohio)'s and freshman setter McKenna Ronan (Chandler, Ariz.)'s serves, leveling the score at 1-1 with the 25-22 win. Mercy took the third set in similar fashion, riding a five-point run on Ronan's serve to break a 7-7 tie and winning four of the final five points to close out the set, 25-21.
The fourth set was even more hotly contested, as the Mavericks enjoyed the biggest lead (four points) midway through before falling into a tie at 22-22. A Lions error and two clutch kills from White and sophomore outside hitter Nicolette Gebhardt (Middletown, N.Y.) later, however, the Mavericks had taken the match, 3-1.
White's 31 kills led the match and Gebhardt totaled 17 kills in the victory, while Ronan and freshman setter Michala Askew (Ringgold, Ga.) combined for 49 assists. Freshman libero Ericka Kane (Glendale, Ariz.) led the match with 21 digs and three service aces and Bjerstedt also reached double digits in digs, with 12.
Senior outside hitter Angelica Nicalek (Valley Stream, N.Y.) led the Lions with 19 kills, while junior setter Jennifer Koelbel (West Hempstead, N.Y.) and freshman setter Kerry MacDonald (Floral Park, N.Y.) combined for 35 assists. Nicalek and MacDonald posted double-doubles, adding 17 and 15 digs, respectively, to their lines, as junior libero Stefani Koelbel (West Hempstead, N.Y.) contributed 13 digs.
Head Coach Alan Clements and the Mavericks will look to build on their big win at the University of the District of Columbia (11-20, 2-10) on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
