ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Nov. 10, 2021) – Powered by double-doubles from juniors Yarianne Gonzalez (Manati, P.R./Monroe College) and Larissa Schneid (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western CC), the Mercy College volleyball team earned a 3-1 (25-20, 19-25, 25-18, 25-13) win over ECC foe Molloy College on Wednesday night at Quealy Gymnasium.

The Mavericks (13-13, 8-3 ECC) have won two matches in a row and secure their best finish in ECC play since 2005. Mercy can finish second in the ECC with a win over Bridgeport on Friday. Mercy wins at Molloy (11-13, 6-5 ECC) for the first time since 2013 and sweeps the season series for the first time since 2007.

Gonzalez had a match-high 38 assists with 15 digs and Schneid had a match-high 13 kills with 14 digs. Senior Nilka Rivera Maldonado (Bayamon, P.R./Concordia College) had 11 kills and senior Tynesha Adams (Prattville, Ala./Bethune Cookman University) had 10 kills and a match-high six blocks. Senior Selma Vulic (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) had a match-high 16 digs.

Molloy was led by Graciela Cruz who had a team-high 12 kills.

Mercy scored the first four points of the opening set and held a 10-5 lead after a Rivera Maldonado kill. Molloy followed with a 10-3 run to take a 15-13 lead, forcing a Mercy timeout. Out of the timeout, Mercy went on a 6-2 run to take a 19-17 lead, leading to a Lion timeout. Molloy cut the deficit to 21-20, but Mercy scored the final four points of the set to earn a 25-20 set one win.

Molloy jumped out to a 9-4 lead in set two before the Mavericks stormed back and got within one, 16-15. The Lions followed with a 7-1 run to take a 23-16 lead and held on for the 25-19 set two win.

Mercy took a 7-2 lead in set three and built a 9-3 advantage. The hosts answered with a 5-2 run to get within 11-8, but the Mavericks went on a 9-5 run to take a 20-13 lead. A kill from Stéphanie Lankhorst (Apeldoorn, Netherlands/Koninklijke Scholengemeenschap Apeldoorn) later in the set gave Mercy a 25-18 set three win.

The Mavericks opened the fourth set with a 6-1 lead after a Vulic ace. Mercy later held a 13-6 lead after a Lankhorst block and cruised the rest of the way with Schneid finishing off the match with a kill to give the Mavericks the 25-13 set four win.

Mercy had 47 kills, 59 digs, 44 assists, 12 blocks, four aces and hit .205. Molloy had 39 kills, 55 digs, 39 assists, eight blocks, six aces and hit .056.

Head Coach Gary Preston Jr. and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, November 12th when they play at Bridgeport at 7 p.m.