Velasco Records Team-High Eight Kills as Volleyball Hosts Queens
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Oct. 25, 2016) – Despite a team-high eight kills from senior Andrea Velasco (Whittier, Calif./Rio Hondo College) and 13 digs from sophomore Brianna Heffernan (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip), the Mercy College volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (15-25, 15-25, 24-26) decision to Queens College in an ECC matchup on Tuesday night at Victory Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (3-15, 2-7 ECC) have dropped four matches in a row, while the Knights (6-17, 2-8 ECC) snap a two-match losing streak with the win.
Velasco also finished with seven digs and Heffernan added four kills. Freshman Gabriella Fernandes (Islip, N.Y./Islip) contributed five kills and eight digs, while sophomore Brooke Runge (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) dished out a team-high 13 assists. Senior Floriana Rraci (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas) added nine digs.
Queens was led by Lauren Kehoe who had a match-high 12 kills.
The opening set of the match saw the Knights jump out to a 14-5 lead and they would not look back in taking the first set, 25-15.
Queens got off to a 10-2 lead in the second set and would not trail in the set in taking a 2-0 lead after taking the set, 25-15.
Mercy put up a fight in the third and final set looking to prolong the match. The Mavericks cruised to a 10-2 lead early before the Knights battled back and cut the deficit to two, 13-11, forcing a Mercy timeout. Out of the timeout, the Mavericks increased the lead to four, 20-16, following a kill by Velasco. However, Queens came back with a 4-0 run to even up the set at 20-20. Mercy rallied and scored three of the next four points to retake the lead at 23-21 after another kill from Velasco. The Knights once again was able to tie the score up at 23-23 before Velasco gave the lead back to the Mavericks, 24-23, after her final kill. Nicoletta DiCocco followed with three straight kills to give the set and match to the Knights.
Mercy hit .149 on the night with 26 kills and 44 digs, while Queens hit .231 with 40 kills and 55 digs.
Head Coach Georgia Efthalitsides and the Mavericks look to bounce back when they play at Molloy on Thursday, October 27th at 6 p.m.
