ALBANY, N.Y. (Sept. 2, 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 3-1 (25-17, 24-26, 17-25, 23-25) decision to The College of Saint Rose in their 2021 season opener on Thursday night at Nolan Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (0-1) fall in Head Coach Gary Preston Jr.'s debut, while the Golden Knights (1-0) open their season with a win.
Rivera Maldonado had 10 kills and a match-high 17 digs in her Mercy debut. Schneid had a match-high 16 kills in her debut with 12 digs. Gonzalez had a match-high 36 assists with 14 digs and six aces. Senior Tynesha Adams (Prattville, Ala./Bethune Cookman University) had seven kills and senior Sophia Flanders (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) had 10 digs.
Saint Rose was led by Karleigh Fripp and Julia Cavalcanti who both had a team-high 10 kills.
Mercy got off to a good start in their first match in 650 days, jumping out to an 11-8 lead in the first set after a Gonzalez kill. Saint Rose answered with two points in a row to make it 11-10, but the Mavericks regrouped and tallied four straight points to take a 15-10 lead. Saint Rose later made it 19-15, but the Mavericks closed the set on a 6-2 run to earn a 25-17 set one win.
The Mavericks took a 4-1 lead in set two and held a 9-8 lead later in the set. The Golden Knights ensued with a 4-0 run to take a 12-9 lead. Mercy later cut the deficit to one, 20-19, before the hosts netted four of the next five points to build a 24-20 lead. The Mavericks continued to battle and scored four straight points to tie the match at 24-24 after a Gonzalez kill. Saint Rose followed with two straight points to take the set 26-24.
Mercy held a 3-2 lead in set three, but the hosts rallied with a 10-4 run to take a 12-7 lead. The Mavericks once again battled back and tied the set at 12-12. The Golden Knights closed the set on a 13-5 run to earn a 25-17 set three win.
The Mavericks held a 14-11 lead in set four after a Flanders ace. Saint Rose tied it at 14-14 before Mercy rallied to take a 20-17 lead after a Rivera Maldonado kill. The hosts answered with five straight points to take a 22-20 lead. Mercy followed with two straight points of their own to tie the set at 22-22. Saint Rose would go on to score three of the next four points to earn the win in four sets.
Mercy had 45 kills, 67 digs, three blocks, nine aces, 42 assists and hit .163. Saint Rose had 47 kills, 58 digs, eight blocks, 11 aces, 43 assists and hit .210.
Head Coach Gary Preston Jr. and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host Pace at 6 p.m.
