MANCHESTER, N.H. (Sept. 14, 2021) – Despite double-doubles from senior Nilka Rivera Maldonado (Bayamon, P.R./Concordia College) and juniors Larissa Schneid (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western CC) and Yarianne Gonzalez (Manati, P.R./Monroe College), the Mercy College volleyball team dropped a hard-fought 3-2 (18-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 16-18) decision at Southern New Hampshire University before falling 3-0 (34-36, 14-25, 16-25) at Saint Anselm College on Tuesday night.

The Mavericks (2-6) have dropped four matches in a row, while the Penmen (4-3) snap a two-match losing streak and the Hawks (7-2) have won two matches in a row. Mercy takes Southern N.H. to five sets for the first time in five all-time meetings.

Match 1: Southern N.H. 3, Mercy 2

The Penmen opened the first set with a 13-8 lead, forcing a Mercy timeout. Following the timeout, the Mavericks went on a 4-0 run to make it 13-12. The score was later tied at 16-16 before the hosts went on a 6-2 run to build a 22-18 lead. After a Mercy timeout, Southern N.H. scored the set's final three points to earn a 25-18 set-one win.

Mercy started the second set with a 5-0 run and led 6-1 before the Penmen rallied and took a 15-14 lead. The Mavericks ensued with a 5-1 run to take a 19-16 lead. The hosts later made it 20-19 in favor of Mercy, but the Mavericks closed the set on a 5-2 run to take the second set, 25-21.

The Mavericks got off to a good start in set three, taking a 14-11 lead, forcing a Southern N.H. timeout. After the timeout, the Penmen ended the set on a 14-5 run to take the set, 25-19.

Mercy jumped out to an 8-4 lead in set four, leading to a Penmen timeout. Southern N.H. came back on an 8-2 run to take a 12-10 lead. Mercy later took the lead back at 18-16, but the hosts went on a 5-1 run to take a 21-19 lead. The Mavericks regrouped and closed the set on a 6-1 run to earn a 25-22 win, tying the match at 2-2.

The fifth set was a back-and-forth affair with Mercy starting the set with a 6-3 lead after a Nilka Rivera Maldonado kill. The hosts answered following a timeout with an 8-3 run to take an 11-9 lead. Southern N.H. later held a 13-10 lead and looked to be on the verge of finishing the set off. Mercy had other plans and went on a 4-0 run to take a 14-13 lead, serving for match point. The Penmen rallied with two straight points to take a 15-14 lead. Rivera Maldonado slammed home a kill to tie the set at 15-15 and had another kill later that tied the set at 16-16. The hosts scored the final two points of the set to earn an 18-16 set-five win, winning the match in five sets.

Rivera Maldonado had a team-high 13 kills with 14 digs. Schneid had 11 kills and a career-high 25 digs. Gonzalez had 36 assists and 16 digs and senior Selma Vulic (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) had six kills and 19 digs. Senior Tynesha Adams (Prattville, Ala./Bethune Cookman University) had seven kills.

Southern N.H. was led by Juliana Pacini who had a match-high 16 kills.

Mercy had 44 kills, 41 assists, 88 digs, nine aces, nine blocks and hit .112. Southern N.H. had 59 kills, 53 assists, 89 digs, eight aces, eight blocks and hit .176.

Match 2: Saint Anselm 3, Mercy 0

Mercy took an 8-2 lead in set one after an Adams kill, forcing a Saint Anselm timeout. The Mavericks later held an 18-13 lead after a Rivera Maldonado kill, leading to another Hawk timeout. Following the timeout, the hosts went on a 12-6 run to take a 25-24 lead. Saint Anselm was one point away from taking the set, but a service error tied the set at 25-25. The teams traded points two more times to make it 27-27 before Saint Anselm scored a point to make it 28-27. Back-to-back kills by the Mavericks gave themselves a 29-28 lead. An Audrey Simmons kill for Saint Anselm evened the set back at 29-29 before Adams recorded another kill to put Mercy up 30-29. The Mavericks later held a 31-30 lead before the Hawks netted two straight points to take a 32-31 lead. Mercy continued to battle and retook the lead two more times, needing just one more point to win the set. The Mavericks took their last lead of the set at 34-33, but the hosts scored the final three points to earn a 36-34 marathon win in set one.

Saint Anselm built a 13-8 lead in set two and led the rest of the way in securing the set, 25-14.

The Hawks took a 16-9 lead in set three and won the set, 25-16, to win the match in three sets.

Rivera Maldonado had a team-high nine kills with 12 digs. Adams had six kills and Gonzalez had 25 assists and 13 digs. Vulic had 11 digs and Schneid had four kills and 13 digs. Senior Sophia Flanders (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) had 13 digs.

Saint Anselm was led by Audrey Wetjen who had a team-high nine kills.

Mercy had 24 kills, 26 assists, 69 digs, one ace, 1.5 blocks and hit .017. Saint Anselm had 45 kills, 43 assists, 69 digs, six aces, six blocks and hit .176.

Head Coach Gary Preston Jr. and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, September 16th when they play at Lincoln at 6 p.m.