AMHERST, N.Y. (Oct. 6, 2018) – Despite 21 assists from senior Brooke Runge (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) and 13 digs from sophomore Leilani Vazquez (Gurabo, Puerto Rico/Adelphi University), the Mercy College volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (11-25, 22-25, 20-25) decision to ECC foe Daemen College on Saturday afternoon.

The Mavericks (6-13, 3-4 ECC) see their two-match win streak come to an end, while the Wildcats (13-8, 7-0 ECC) remain perfect in ECC action.

Runge added four digs and one kill and Vazquez had six kills. Freshman Loreto Nunez Casal (Pontevedra, Spain/Sagrado Corazon De Jesus) had a team-high seven kills and senior Neysha Gonzalez (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico/Monroe College) had ten digs.

Daemen was led by Tirzah Peters who had a match-high 13 kills.

Mercy jumped out to a 4-3 lead in set one, but the Wildcats came back with three straight points to take a 6-4 lead. The Mavericks tied the set up at 6-6 after a Vazquez kill, but Daemen would close out the set on a 19-5 run to take the first set, 25-11.

The Mavericks started with a 4-0 lead in set two and were up 15-9 later in the frame. The hosts came back with a 10-2 run to build a 19-17 lead. Mercy recorded back-to-back points to tie the set up at 19-19. However, Daemen ended the set with six of the final nine points to earn a 25-22 set two win.

Mercy took a 4-0 lead in set three and held a 5-1 advantage before the Wildcats stormed back and took a 6-5 lead. The Mavericks retook the lead at 7-6 before Daemen responded with a 12-4 run to take an 18-11 lead late in the set. Mercy cut the deficit to four, 18-14, after a Runge ace and later was within four, 23-19, after a Gonzalez ace. Daemen would close out the set and match with two of the final three points for the win.

Mercy hit .109 with 25 kills and 43 digs and Daemen hit .218 with 43 kills and 56 digs.

Head Coach Georgia Efthalitsides and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, October 10th when they host Bridgeport at 7 p.m.