DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Oct. 28, 2021) – Powered by double-doubles from senior Sophia Flanders (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) and junior Larissa Schneid (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western CC), the Mercy College volleyball team celebrated Senior Night with a 3-0 (25-16, 26-24, 25-19) win over ECC foe Queens College on Thursday night to clinch their second straight ECC Tournament berth.

In a ceremony prior to the match, the Mavericks recognized Flanders and Tynesha Adams (Prattville, Ala./Bethune Cookman University) for their contributions to the volleyball program. The team also recognized 2021 graduates Natalia Garcia, Nichole Rivera Maldonado and Adriana Lopez-Soto who did not have a Senior Night due to COVID-19.

The Mavericks (11-12, 6-2 ECC) have won two straight matches and secure their second straight ECC Tournament berth, while the Knights (3-17, 2-8 ECC) drop the season series to Mercy.

Flanders had a match-high 24 assists with 10 digs and Schneid had a match-high 18 kills with 11 digs. Adams had nine kills and five blocks and senior Selma Vulic (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) had a match-high 20 digs. Junior Yarianne Gonzalez (Manati, P.R./Monroe College) had 14 assists and senior Nilka Rivera Maldonado (Bayamon, P.R./Concordia College) had six kills.

Queens was led by Christina Franco who had six kills and 16 digs.

The Knights jumped out to an 11-7 lead in set one before Mercy answered with an 8-0 run to take a 15-11 lead after a Schneid kill. Queens made it 15-12 before the Mavericks rattled off four straight points to take a 19-12 lead after an Adams kill. The Knights cut the deficit to six, 21-15, but Mercy scored four of the final five points to take the set, 25-16.

Queens took an 8-4 lead in set two. Mercy scored the next four points to tie the set at 8-8. The set was later tied at 13-13 after a Schneid kill before the Knights tallied three straight points to take a 16-13 lead. Queens later held a 23-19 lead and looked to be on the verge of tying the match. Mercy scored the next two points to get within 23-21 before a service error gave the Knights a 24-21 lead. The Mavericks would survive two set points and score the final five points of the set to earn a 26-24 set two win after another kill from Adams.

The Knights built a 6-3 lead in set three. However, the Mavericks responded once again and went on a 9-2 run to take a 12-8 lead. Queens battled back and tied the set at 15-15, but Mercy ensued with a 7-1 run to take a 22-16 lead and held on to win the set and match.

Mercy had 45 kills, 41 assists, 60 digs, 10 aces, nine blocks and hit .147. Queens had 24 kills, 23 assists, 59 digs, three aces, two blocks and hit .055.

Head Coach Gary Preston Jr. and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, November 6th when they play at Daemen at 1 p.m.