DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 3, 2021) – Powered by a match-high 16 kills from junior Larissa Schneid (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western CC) and a match-high 47 assists from junior Yarianne Gonzalez (Manati, P.R./Monroe College), the Mercy College volleyball team earned a 3-1 (25-14, 25-14, 22-25, 25-14) victory over Pace University in their home opener on Friday night. The victory is the first collegiate win for Head Coach Gary Preston Jr.
The Mavericks (1-1) bounce back from their season-opening loss last night and beat the Setters (0-1) for the first time since 2014.
Schneid also added 10 digs and hit .211 on the night. Senior Tynesha Adams (Prattville, Ala./Bethune Cookman University) had 14 kills and five blocks and senior Nilka Rivera Maldonado (Bayamon, P.R./Concordia College) had 12 kills and 10 digs. Gonzalez also added nine digs and three kills and senior Selma Vulic (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) had a match-high-tying 11 digs. Junior Stéphanie Lankhorst (Apeldoorn, Netherlands/ Koninklijke Scholengemeenschap Apeldoornhad) six kills and senior Sophia Flanders (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) had eight digs.
Pace was led by Brielle Jones who had a team-high 13 kills.
The Mavericks fell behind in the opening set, 6-5, but rallied with an 11-1 run, capped off by a Schneid kill, to give Mercy a 16-7 lead. The Setters made it 21-14, but the Mavericks closed the set with four straight points to earn a 25-14 set one win.
Mercy once again took control in set two. The Mavericks took an 11-7 lead after a Rivera Maldonado kill, forcing a Pace timeout. The Setters made it 11-10, but Mercy went on an 8-2 run, capped off by a Flanders ace, to take a 19-12 lead. After a Pace timeout, Mercy ended the set on a 6-2 run, finished off by a Lankhorst kill, to earn a 25-14 set two win.
Pace jumped out to an 8-6 lead in set three, forcing a Mercy timeout. The Mavericks rallied and took a 16-14 lead later in the set after a Rivera Maldonado ace. The Setters responded after a timeout and retook the lead at 21-19, leading to another Mercy timeout. The Mavericks could not cut the deficit to any closer than two points and Pace won the third set, 25-22.
After losing the third set, Mercy stormed past the Setters in the fourth set to secure the win. The Mavericks jumped out to a 7-3 lead, forcing a Pace timeout. The Setters later got within two, 12-10, but Mercy closed out the set and match on a 13-4 run to earn a 25-14 set four win. Schneid finished off the match with her 16th kill of the night.
Mercy had 55 kills, 52 assists, 11 aces, 52 digs, seven blocks and hit .262. Pace had 30 kills, 27 assists, four aces, 44 digs, three blocks and hit .062.
Head Coach Gary Preston Jr. and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, September 9th when they play at Adelphi at 4 p.m.
