DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 28, 2021) – Despite a team-high 18 kills and a match-high 19 digs from junior Larissa Schneid (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western CC), the Mercy College volleyball team dropped a hard-fought 3-2 (25-22, 25-21, 25-27, 21-25, 7-15) decision to Stonehill College on Tuesday night at Victory Hall Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (5-7) see their three-match winning streak come to an end, while the Skyhawks (9-5) have won four matches in a row.
Schneid also had four blocks and senior Nilka Rivera Maldonado (Bayamon, P.R./Concordia College) had a double-double by way of 11 kills and 12 digs. Junior Yarianne Gonzalez (Manati, P.R./Monroe College) had a season-high 47 assists with eight digs and five kills. Senior Tynesha Adams (Prattville, Ala./Bethune Cookman University) had 11 kills and six blocks and senior Selma Vulic (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) had 12 digs and four kills. Senior Sophia Flanders (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) had 10 digs and junior Stéphanie Lankhorst (Apeldoorn, Netherlands/Koninklijke Scholengemeenschap Apeldoorn) had six kills.
Stonehill was led by Abby Remick who had a match-high 19 kills.
Mercy jumped out to an 11-7 lead in set one after a Gonzalez kill, forcing a Stonehill timeout. After the timeout, Mercy increased the lead to 14-9 after a Schneid kill. However, the visitors battled back and tied the set at 17-17. The Mavericks regained the lead with back-to-back kills from Schneid and Adams to make it 19-17. Mercy later held a 24-21 lead after a Rivera Maldonado kill before Stonehill got a point to make it 24-22. A block from Lankhorst and Rivera Maldonado gave the Mavericks the opening set, 25-22.
The Mavericks took another 11-7 lead in set two after back-to-back aces from Schneid. Mercy later held a 17-12 lead after another Schneid kill before the Skyhawks rattled off four straight points to make it 17-16. Mercy answered with two straight points to take a 19-16 lead before Stonehill followed with two more points to make it 19-18. Mercy increased the lead back to three, 21-18, before the visitors got within one, 22-21. The Mavericks closed out the set with three straight points to take the second set, 25-21.
Stonehill took an 11-7 lead in set three and led the rest of the way until Mercy tied it at 24-24 after a Gonzalez kill. The Skyhawks scored three of the final four points in the set to take the third set, 27-25.
Mercy took a 5-1 lead in set four, leading to a Stonehill timeout. The Skyhawks came back and later tied the set at 17-17. Stonehill would then rattle off six straight points to take a 23-17 lead, forcing a Mercy timeout. The Mavericks rallied and cut the deficit to three, 24-21, but a Remick kill gave the Skyhawks the set and evened the match at 2-2.
The Mavericks took a 3-2 lead in set five after a Rivera Maldonado kill. Stonehill would end the set on a 13-4 run to take the set, 15-7, and earn the five-set win.
Mercy had 56 kills, eight aces, 10 blocks, 54 assists, 68 digs and hit .202. Stonehill had 62 kills, 13 aces, six blocks, 56 assists, 66 digs and hit .199.
Head Coach Gary Preston Jr. and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host Molloy at 7 p.m.
