Velasco and Heffernan Combine for 43 Kills and 42 Digs as Volleyball Takes on Goldey-Beacom and Bloomfield
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BLOOMFIELD, N.J. (Oct. 22, 2016) – Despite a combined 43 kills and 42 digs from senior Andrea Velasco (Whittier, Calif./Rio Hondo College) and sophomore Brianna Heffernan (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip), the Mercy College volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (23-25, 25-20, 23-25, 13-25) decision to Goldey-Beacom College before suffering a 3-1 (17-25, 25-15, 17-25, 17-25) setback to Bloomfield College on Saturday afternoon at Bloomfield Gym.
The Mavericks (3-14) have dropped three matches in a row, while Bloomfield (15-10) defeated Goldey-Beacom (8-11) in the first match of the day.
Heffernan finished with a team-high 23 kills on the day along with 21 digs, while Velasco added 20 kills and 21 digs. Sophomore Brooke Runge (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) contributed 52 assists, 12 kills and 21 digs and senior Floriana Rraci (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) ended the day with a team-high 32 digs.
Lindsay Przywara led Goldey-Beacom with 20 kills and ten digs.
Bloomfield was led by Valerie Bermudez who had 12 kills and 14 digs.
Goldey-Beacom 3, Mercy 1
The opening set of the match saw the Mavericks get to an 11-8 lead following a Lightning attack error. Goldey-Beacom responded with six straight points to take a 14-11 lead. Mercy then followed with a 5-0 run, capped off by a Velasco ace, to give the Mavericks a 16-14 lead. Mercy held a 21-20 lead late in the frame before the Lightning closed the set with five of the next seven points to take a 1-0 lead.
The Mavericks jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second set before Goldey-Beacom tied things up at 7-7. Mercy came back with a 5-1 run to take a 12-8 lead they would not relinquish. The Lightning cut the Mavericks lead to two, 22-20, before Mercy closed the set with three straight points to even up the match at 1-1.
Mercy took a 6-1 lead in set three following a Heffernan kill. However, Goldey-Beacom ensued with an 11-4 run to build a 12-10 advantage. The Mavericks responded and retook the lead at 14-12 and held a 23-21 lead late, before the Lightning closed the set with four straight points to take a 2-1 lead.
The final set saw the Lightning jump out to a 16-4 lead and they would not look back in securing the set and match.
Heffernan recorded a double-double by way of 11 kills and 12 digs, while Velasco slammed home nine kills and added 10 digs. Rraci had a match-high 17 digs and Runge dished out 25 assists and brought up eight digs.
Mercy hit .077 in the match with 37 kills and 52 digs, while Goldey-Beacom hit .265 with 44 kills and 40 digs.
Bloomfield 3, Mercy 1
The Mavericks took a 6-3 lead in the first set before the Bears responded and took their first lead of the set at 7-6. Mercy maintained a 16-15 advantage, but Bloomfield ended the set on a 10-1 run to take the first set, 25-17.
Mercy responded in the second set by taking an 11-4 lead early and cruised the rest of the way to a second set victory to even up the match.
The hosts took a 12-5 lead in set three before the Mavericks clawed their way back and tied the set at 17-17 following a Heffernan block. However, Bloomfield ended the set with eight straight points to take a 2-1 lead.
The Bears got off to a 9-5 lead in set four before Mercy rallied again and took a 14-13 lead after a Heffernan kill. With the score tied at 15-15, Bloomfield closed the match with ten of the next 12 points to secure the set and match.
Heffernan finished with 12 kills and nine digs, while Velasco earned a double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs. Rraci brought up a match-high 15 digs and Runge contributed 27 assists, 13 digs and seven kills.
Mercy hit .094 with 41 kills and 54 digs, while Bloomfield hit .179 with 49 kills and 58 digs.
Head Coach Georgia Efthalitsides and the Mavericks look to bounce back when they host Queens College on Tuesday, October 25th at 7 p.m.
