DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 22, 2018) – Despite a double-double from sophomore Leilani Vazquez (Gurabo, Puerto Rico/Adelphi University) and a match-high 20 digs from senior Neysha Gonzalez (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico/Monroe College), the Mercy College volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (15-25, 23-25, 28-30) decision to ECC foe Molloy College on Saturday afternoon at Victory Gym.
The Mavericks (3-10, 1-2 ECC) fall below .500 in ECC play, while the Lions (7-4, 2-1 ECC) move over .500 in ECC action.
Vazquez recorded a match-high-tying 15 kills and had ten digs. Gonzalez added four assists and senior Brooke Runge (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest) had a team-high 16 assists.
Molloy was led by Kacey Affrunti who had a match-high-tying 15 kills.
Mercy jumped out to a 5-4 lead in set one after a Vazquez kill. Molloy stormed back with a 9-3 run to take a 13-8 lead. The Mavericks cut the deficit to 13-10, but the Lions rattled off six straight points to build a 19-10 advantage and led the rest of the way to take set one, 25-15.
Molloy took an early 6-1 lead in set two, leading to a Mercy timeout. Out of the timeout, Vazquez followed with two straight kills to make it 6-3, but the Lions responded by taking a 16-9 lead later in the set. The Mavericks would not back down to the defending ECC Champions and battled back to even up the set at 19-19. The set was later tied at 22-22, but Molloy ended the set on a 3-1 spurt to take the second set, 25-23.
Mercy got off to a good start in set three, taking a 14-11 lead which forced a Molloy timeout. The Lions came out of the timeout and tied the set at 18-18, leading to a Mercy timeout. The teams would trade points with the score being tied ten different times, the last time coming at 28-28. The Mavericks had four opportunities to win the set, but Molloy would score the final three points after trailing 28-27 to take the set, 30-28.
Mercy hit .160 with 37 kills and 54 digs and Molloy hit .244 with 48 kills and 51 digs.
Head Coach Georgia Efthalitsides and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, September 28th when they play at LIU Post at 7 p.m.
