Gebhardt Leads Volleyball in Tri-Match vs. ECC Foe NYIT, Merrimack
Box Score OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (Nov. 2, 2013) – Senior Nicolette Gebhardt (Bloomingburg, N.Y. / Pine Bush) totaled an impressive 35 kills on a .397 hitting percentage as the Mercy College volleyball team took a set from each opponent in a tri-match at NYIT on Saturday.
Junior Brenna White (Gardnerville, Nev. / Douglas) also recorded her 1,500th career kill during the day.
The Mavericks fell to the host Bears, 3-1, as well as Merrimack College, 3-1, leaving Long Island with a 9-16 overall and 2-10 record in East Coast Conference play. NYIT improved to 23-4 (10-3) with a sweep of the day's matches while the split left Merrimack 11-13.
NYIT 3, Mercy 1
The Mavericks fell behind 7-4 to start the first set but ran off six straight points shortly after for a 13-9 lead. The ECC rivals traded points through the rest of the set until NYIT staged a furious late rally, scoring five straight to cut the deficit back to one at 24-23, but an attack error handed the Mavericks the victory.
The second set was contested tightly through the first 21 points until NYIT rode a 6-1 run out to a 17-11 lead. The Mavericks clawed back within three points at 19-16, but would come no closer as NYIT closed things out, 25-19 to even the match.
Both teams were evenly matched through the third set as neither led by more than two points all the way through to a 22-22 tie, at which point the Bears scored the final four points of the set to take the 2-1 match lead.
Once again, neither team could separate early in the fourth set until Mercy took a 13-11 lead, at which points NYIT posted a 14-3 run to win the set, 25-16, and clinch the match.
Gebhardt led the Mavericks with 20 kills on a .463 hitting percentage while White smacked 16 kills. Junior McKenna Ronan (Chandler, Ariz. / Seton Catholic Prep) made 42 assists as senior Mallorie Hopkins (Commerce, Calif. / Pasadena City College) and freshman Floriana Rraci (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. / Walter Panas) recorded 17 and 11 digs, respectively.
Senior Shelby Cable led four Bears to post double-digit kills with 16 and completed one of two double-doubles with a team-high 13 digs. Senior Marija Jovanovic also recorded a double-double with 48 assists and 10 digs.
Merrimack 3, Mercy 1
Merrimack jumped out to a 12-8 lead in the first set before Mercy tied things back up on four straight points and kept things knotted up through an 18-18 score line. Consecutive Warriors points gave Merrimack the 20-18 lead, but the Mavericks scored six straight to come within set point and, after a service error made it 24-21, Gebhardt closed it out with a kill for the 25-21 victory.
Mercy led early in the second set, stretching out to four-point margins at 13-9 and 16-12, but Merrimack scored seven straight points to lead 19-16 and held on for the 25-23 victory to even the match.
Merrimack rode the momentum into the third set, stretching out to an 11-5 lead and holding that margin until a 6-2 Mavericks run cut the lead back to three at 24-21. The Warriors still managed to take the set, 25-22, however, and continued their strong form through the fourth set to a 25-16 win.
White led the Mavericks with 19 kills and completed her 10th double-double of the season with 11 digs while Gebhardt contributed 15 kills on a team-high .312 hitting percentage. Ronan made 33 assists and a career-high four total blocks while Hopkins recorded 23 digs and sophomore Hana Brucaj (Shrub Oak, N.Y. / Lakeland) totaled a career-high six blocks.
Freshman Jocelyn McLain (15 kills/10 digs), junior Stephanie Sheehan (13 kills/12 digs) and freshman Tara Stuhr (42 assists/12 digs) each posted double-doubles for the Warriors, with sophomore Madison Burke adding 19 digs.
Head Coach Kelly Wengerter and the Mavericks will host Dominican College (6-21) on Monday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.
