MANCHESTER, N.H. (Sept. 8, 2018) – Despite 13 kills and 24 digs on the day from sophomore Leilani Vazquez (Gurabo, Puerto Rico/Adelphi University), the Mercy College volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (14-25, 9-25, 17-25) decision to Edinboro University before suffering a 3-0 (22-25, 19-25, 22-25) setback to Saint Anselm College on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (2-7) have dropped seven matches in a row, while the Fighting Scots (7-3) dropped their other match of the day to Pace. The Hawks (7-4) defeated Pace in their first match of the day.
Match 1: Edinboro 3, Mercy 0
Edinboro started the first set on a 9-2 run, forcing a Mercy timeout. Out of the timeout, the Fighting Scots increased the lead to 19-10 and led the rest of the way in taking the first set, 25-14.
The second set saw the two teams tied at 3-3 after a Vazquez kill. Edinboro followed with an 11-3 run to build a 14-6 advantage. Mercy made it 14-7 after a Nichole Rivera Maldonado (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Academia Discipulos de Cristo) kill, but the Fighting Scots responded with eight straight points to take a 22-7 lead. Edinboro held a double-digit lead the remainder of the set to build a 2-0 lead.
Mercy scored the first point in the third set on a Sarah Watson (Maple Creek, Saskatchewan/Maple Creek) kill. The teams were later tied at 5-5 after a Kaitlyn Partridge (Corona, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College) kill before the Fighting Scots rallied back and built a 16-11 advantage. Back-to-back points for Mercy made it 16-13, but Edinboro put away eight consecutive points to increase their lead to 24-13. The Mavericks struck back with four straight points, but a Hannah Cantrill kill ended the set and match.
Watson had a team-high-tying five kills and seniors Leah Petty (Philadelphia, Pa./Science Leadership Academy) and Partridge also recorded five kills. Senior Neysha Gonzalez (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico/Monroe College) had a team-high 10 digs and freshman Sophia Flanders (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) had 20 assists and six digs.
Edinboro was led by Cantrill who had a match-high 15 kills.
Mercy hit .069 with 22 kills and 36 digs and Edinboro hit .393 with 43 kills and 39 digs.
Match 2: Saint Anselm 3, Mercy 0
Saint Anselm took a 3-0 lead in the opening set, but the Mavericks responded with an 8-3 run to take an 8-6 lead after a Partridge kill. Mercy held a 12-10 lead after a Saint Anselm service error. However, the Hawks ensued with a 6-1 run to take a 16-13 lead. The Mavericks continued to battle and tied the set up at 21-21 on a Vazquez kill. Saint Anselm would close out the set with four of the next five points to take the first set, 25-22.
The Hawks jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the second set, leading to a Mercy timeout. Following the timeout, Saint Anselm increased their lead to 22-12, but the Mavericks continued to claw their way back and cut the deficit to 24-19 after a Petty kill. A kill from Madison Sollows would follow and give the Hawks a 2-0 lead.
Mercy got off to an 11-7 lead in the third set after another Partridge kill. Saint Anselm stormed back with an 8-3 run to take a 15-14 lead. The Hawks increased the lead to 21-16 before the Mavericks rattled off five straight points to even the set up at 21-21. Saint Anselm finished off the set and match with four of the final five points.
Vazquez recorded a match-high 10 kills and 16 digs and Gonzalez had 15 digs. Freshman Loreto Nunez Casal (Pontevedra, Spain/Sagrado Corazon de Jesus) finished with 13 digs and Flanders had 29 assists.
Saint Anselm was paced by Catie McCarthy who had a team-high nine kills.
Mercy hit .181 with 35 kills and 51 digs and Saint Anselm hit .220 with 38 kills and 44 digs.
Head Coach Georgia Efthalitsides and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, September 12th when they play at Bridgeport at 7 p.m.
