ROCHESTER, N.Y. (Oct. 5, 2018) – Powered by a team-high 20 kills from senior Kaitlyn Partridge (Corona, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College), a match-high 27 digs from senior Neysha Gonzalez (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico/Monroe College) and a team-high 43 assists from senior Brooke Runge (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest), the Mercy College volleyball team earned their first-ever win at ECC foe Roberts Wesleyan College with a 3-2 (25-16, 19-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-7) victory over the Redhawks on Friday night.

The Mavericks (6-12, 3-3 ECC) are off to their best 18-game start since 2013 and have their most ECC wins in a season since 2011. Mercy is also off to their best ECC start since 2005, while the Redhawks (3-12, 2-4 ECC) fall two games below .500 in ECC play.

Partridge hit .545 and added three digs and Runge added eight digs and three kills. Senior Leah Petty (Philadelphia, Pa./Science Leadership Academy) and freshman Loreto Nunez Casal (Pontevedra, Spain/Sagrado Corazon de Jesus) had ten kills and sophomore Leilani Vazquez (Gurabo, Puerto Rico/Adelphi University) finished with nine kills and eight digs.

Roberts Wesleyan was led by Rachel Holmes who had 23 kills and 16 digs.

The opening set saw the Mavericks jump out to an 11-5 lead, forcing a Redhawk timeout. Out of the timeout, Roberts Wesleyan made it 14-13, but Mercy regrouped and went on a 6-2 run to build a 20-15 advantage. The Mavericks ended the set on a 5-1 run after a Redhawk timeout, giving Mercy a 25-16 win in set one.

Roberts Wesleyan took a 9-6 lead in set two, but the Mavericks followed with five straight points to take an 11-9 lead after a Partridge kill. The Redhawks responded with a 6-1 run to retake the lead at 15-12, leading to a Mercy timeout. The Mavericks cut the deficit to two out of the timeout, but that was as close as they could get as Roberts Wesleyan earned a 25-19 set two win.

The hosts built a 17-8 lead in set three, but the Mavericks battled back and cut the deficit to two, 24-22, late in the set. However, a kill from Holmes would give the Redhawks the set and a 2-1 lead.

Mercy built a 10-8 lead in set four, but Roberts Wesleyan ensued with five straight points to hold a 13-10 lead. The Mavericks continued to battle and would take a 19-17 lead on a Partridge kill, forcing a Redhawk timeout. Roberts Wesleyan cut the deficit to one on four separate occasions, but a Vazquez kill would give the Mavericks a 25-23 win to tie the match up at 2-2.

Mercy, playing in their second straight five-set match, would start the final set with a 6-2 lead and built a 10-3 lead after a Roberts Wesleyan attack error. The Mavericks led the rest of the way in securing the final set, 15-7, to win their second straight match.

Mercy hit .232 with 56 kills and 68 digs and Roberts Wesleyan hit .206 with 64 kills and 65 digs.

Head Coach Georgia Efthalitsides and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at Daemen at 1 p.m.