PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (Sept. 14, 2018) – Despite double-doubles from senior Brooke Runge (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) and sophomore Leilani Vazquez (Gurabo, Puerto Rico/Adelphi University) and a team-high 11 kills from senior Kaitlyn Partridge (Corona, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College), the Mercy College volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (20-25, 14-25, 25-23, 19-25) decision to Pace University on Friday night.
The Mavericks (2-9) have dropped eight matches in a row and take a set against the Setters (8-2) on the road after being swept a week ago at a neutral site.
Runge recorded a match-high 37 assists and a team-high-tying 18 digs and Vazquez produced ten kills and a team-high-tying 18 digs. Partridge hit .280 and had four block and senior Neysha Gonzalez (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico/Monroe College) produced 16 kills. Freshman Sophia Flanders (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) finished with 11 digs and sophomore Adriana Lopez-Soto (Gurabo, Puerto Rico/Notre Dame HS) ended the night with 10 digs.
Pace was led by Kathleen Benson who had a match-high 12 kills and Danielle Vaiano who had a match-high 24 digs.
Mercy opened the match with the first point on a Leah Petty (Philadelphia, Pa./Science Leadership Academy) kill. The Mavericks held a 6-5 lead after a Partridge block before the Setters responded with an 8-3 run to build a 13-9 lead. Pace built the lead to 17-11, but Mercy rallied and cut the deficit to two, 22-20, after a Petty and Vazquez block. However, the Setters ended the set with three straight points to take a 1-0 lead.
The Mavericks took a 1-0 lead in set two before the Setters came back on a 10-4 run to take a 10-5 lead, forcing a Mercy timeout. After the timeout, the Mavericks trimmed the Pace lead to three, 11-8, but the hosts ended the set on a 14-6 run to build a 2-0 lead.
Mercy started the third set with a 4-2 lead and held a 10-8 advantage after a Partridge kill. Pace clawed their way back with three straight points to take an 11-10 lead. The teams would trade points until back-to-back points from Mercy gave them an 18-16 lead. Following a Pace timeout, the Mavericks rattled off four unanswered points to increase the lead to 22-16. The Setters battled back and cut the Mercy lead to one on two occasions, but a Petty and Sarah Watson (Maple Creek, Saskatchewan/Maple Creek) block would close out the set keeping the Mavericks in the match.
The Setters jumped out to a 14-11 lead in the fourth set, leading to a Mercy timeout. The Mavericks got within two, 16-14, after a Partridge kill, but Pace followed with four straight points to increase their lead to 20-14. Mercy cut the deficit to five three different times but were unable to get any closer, leading to Pace earning the win in four sets.
Mercy hit .108 with 44 kills and 79 digs and Pace hit .164 with 53 kills and 71 digs.
Head Coach Georgia Efthalitsides and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, September 21st when they host Queens at 7 p.m. at the new Victory Gym.
