Olson and Lynch Combine for 26 Kills as Volleyball Faces Saint Rose and Assumption
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 WORCESTER, Mass. (Oct. 10, 2015) – Despite 13 kills from both freshmen Peyton Olson (Albany, Ore./West Albany) and Eva Marie Lynch (New Windsor, N.Y./Cornwall) and 34 digs from freshman Brianna Heffernan (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip), the Mercy College dropped a 3-0 (23-25, 19-25, 21-25) decision to the College of Saint Rose before falling to Assumption College, 3-1 (25-23, 8-25, 18-25, 16-25) on Saturday afternoon at Laska Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (5-15) drop their third straight, while Assumption (6-11) defeated Saint Rose (6-8) in five sets in the other match of the day.
Also contributing for Mercy was sophomore Sa'Naya Johnson (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) who finished with ten kills and ten blocks, while freshman Brooke Runge (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) ended the day with 36 assists and ten digs. Freshman Kaila Berlovan (Floral Park, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) added 19 digs, including 16 in the match against Assumption.
Saint Rose was led by Maryellen Devic who had a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs.
Leading Assumption was Tara Reilly who had a match-high 19 kills.
Saint Rose 3, Mercy 0
The opening set of the day saw the Mavericks jump out to a 10-6 lead following an Olson ace. However, the Golden Knights came back on an 8-1 run to take a 14-11 lead. Mercy would not go away and responded to take the lead, 23-22, late in the set after an Abigail Foti (Bedford, N.H./Bedford) kill. Saint Rose ensued with three straight to close the set and took a 1-0 lead.
Another close set broke out in the second set of the match as an Olson kill made it 21-19 in favor of Saint Rose, capping off a 3-0 run. The momentum was short lived as the Golden Knights closed the frame on a 4-0 spurt to take a 2-0 advantage.
Saint Rose got off to a 22-12 lead in the third set and looked to be running away with the set until the Mavericks closed the deficit to two, 23-21, forcing a Golden Knights timeout. Out of the timeout, Saint Rose scored two in a row to earn the win.
Olson and Johnson finished with a team-high seven kills and Heffernan added a team-high 16 digs.
Assumption 3, Mercy 1
The closing match of the day saw Assumption score the first two points of the set, but Mercy came right back with a 6-1 run and led for most of the set. The Mavericks held a 20-17 edge after a Runge ace before the Greyhounds put together three straight to knot the set up at 20-20. The teams remained tied at 23-23, but back-to-back kills from Olson gave Mercy the set and a 1-0 advantage.
After taking the first set, the Mavericks looked to have momentum on their side but Assumption came out in front of their home crowd on a 9-2 run and cruised their way to a set two win to even the match.
The Greyhounds continued their strong play from the second set as they jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the third set. Assumption built the lead to as many as 11 before Mercy fought back and got within three, 20-17, after another Olson kill. The deficit proved too much to overcome as the Greyhounds ended the set on a 5-1 run to take a 2-1 lead.
Assumption took a 7-2 lead in the final set and did not look back in taking the set to win the match.
Lynch ended the match with a career-high 10 kills, while Heffernan had 18 digs and Runge dished out 21 assists.
Head Coach Kelly Wengerter and the Mavericks will resume play on Tuesday, October 13th as they travel to Southern Connecticut State for a 7 p.m. start time.
