Olson Records a Double-Double as Volleyball Plays at Queens
Box Score FLUSHING, N.Y. (Sept. 27, 2016) – Despite a double-double from sophomore Peyton Olson (Albany, Ore./West Albany), the Mercy College volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (21-25, 22-25, 21-25) decision to Queens College in an East Coast Conference (ECC) matchup on Tuesday night at Fitzgerald Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (0-6, 0-3 ECC) drop their third straight ECC match, while the Knights (3-10, 1-2 ECC) pick up their first ECC win of the year.
Olson ended the night with a match high 14 kills while also adding 14 digs and hitting .229 in the process. Senior Andrea Velasco (Whittier, Calif./Rio Hondo College) finished with six kills and 13 digs, while sophomore Brianna Heffernan (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) capped off the night with a team high 15 digs. Sophomore Brooke Runge (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) dished out 20 assists and had eight digs.
Queens was led by Cassidy Stewart who had 11 kills, while Kristen Moore netted a double-double with 35 assists and 13 digs.
The opening set of the match saw the Mavericks jump out to an 8-4 lead after four kills from Olson. However, the hosts responded with a 10-1 run to take a 14-9 lead. The Knights built the lead up to six, 18-12, before Mercy rallied and cut the deficit to one, 21-20, following a kill by junior Sa'Naya Johnson (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth). Queens would end the set with four of the next five points to take the first set, 25-21.
The Mavericks got off to another strong start in the second set, getting off to a 7-4 lead following three Olson kills. The Knights once again had an answer, scoring four straight points to take their first lead of the set at 8-7. Mercy followed with a 9-4 run to build a 16-12 lead after an ace from Velasco. The Mavericks held a 21-19 lead late in the set and looked to be on the verge of tying up the match, but Queens closed the frame with a 6-1 run to take a commanding 2-0 lead.
The final set of the night saw the hosts start off with a 5-1 lead, but Mercy didn't back down and came back and took a 10-9 lead after an ace by freshman Gabriella Fernandes (Islip, N.Y./Islip). The Knights battled back and retook the lead at 19-13, seeming to have the set well in hand. The Mavericks responded with one last run as they came back and tied the score up at 20-20 following back-to-back kills from Velasco. Queens closed the set strong again as they finished the set on a 5-1 run to close out the match.
The Mavericks hit .081 on the night with 30 kills and 56 digs, while the Knights hit .175 with 39 kills and 62 digs.
Head Coach Georgia Efthalitsides and the Mavericks look to get in the win column when they host Molloy College on Thursday, September 29th at 7 p.m.
