Gebhardt Leads Volleyball to 3-1 Victory at Felician
Box Score RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Sept. 13, 2012) – The Mercy College volleyball team picked up its first victory of the season in a 3-1 win at Felician College on Thursday evening. Junior outside hitter Nicolette Gebhardt (Pine Bush, N.Y.) smacked a match-high 15 kills on a .367 hitting percentage to continue a string of impressive performances on the young season.
Mercy improves to 1-4 with the victory while Felician drops to 0-8.
The Mavericks jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first set and kept building on it until rattling off the final three points of the set to win, 25-15, and take the 1-0 match lead.
Felician took the first two points of the second set and after some early Mercy opposition built up a seven-point lead before closing things out, 25-20, to even the match.
Both teams gave it their all in the third set and it was deadlocked until Mercy took a 6-1 run midway through to go up 16-10. The Mavericks held their margin to the end to win 25-18 and regain the match lead.
Just one set from their first victory of the year, the Mavericks put together perhaps their best performance of the season in a 25-9 win thanks to a ridiculous .500 hitting percentage (13 kills, one error) while the Golden Falcons endured their fourth straight sub-.100 percentage set.
Sophomore setter McKenna Ronan (Chandler, Ariz.) made 31 assists while junior defensive specialist Kirstie Zubiate (Salinas, Calif.) and senior defensive specialist Marissa Hurley (Shirely, N.Y.) recorded 13 and 10 digs, respectively.
Freshman middle blocker Olivia Emerson (Sparks, Nev.) led Felician with nine kills while freshman setter Susan McKeever (North Fort Myers, Fla.) and freshman setter Sarah Shebel (Chandler, Ariz.) combined for 17 assists. Senior outside hitter Jenna Matesic (Paramus, N.J.) led the match with 16 digs and sophomore middle blocker Tonia Ford (Bayonne, N.J.) made 4.0 total blocks.
Head Coach Taneisha Cantave and the Mavericks will host their first tri-match this Saturday, Sept. 15 with Goldey-Beacom College (4-3) and Southern New Hampshire University (3-4). The Mavericks will take on the Lightning in the opening match at 12:00 p.m., followed by the Lightning facing the Penmen at 2:00 p.m. and concluding with the Mavericks hosting the Penmen at 4:00 p.m.
