DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Oct. 3, 2022) – The Mercy College volleyball team plays at Bentley University on Wednesday, October 5th at 7 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Wednesday, October 5th 7 p.m.
Records: Mercy (8-2), Bentley (15-4)
Location: Waltham, Mass.
Last Meeting vs. Bentley
Bentley earned a 3-0 win over Mercy on September 28, 2019.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy is coming off a 3-1 win over Queens on Saturday. The Mavericks were led by seniors Larissa Schneid and Yarianne Gonzalez who both recorded double-doubles on the day. Mercy is off to their best start since 2005 and look to start 9-2 for the first time since 2005. Mercy earned their first win over 2021 NCAA Tournament participant Southern Connecticut State since 1999 on August 26th. The Mavericks are 2-6 in their last eight meetings against Bentley and have dropped three straight meetings to the Falcons. The Mavericks are led by Schneid who has been named ECC Player of the Week twice and was named to the Honor Roll on September 19th. She has a team-high 133 kills with 97 digs on the season. Senior Selma Vulic was tabbed ECC Defensive Player of the Week on August 29th and has a team-high 127 digs. Gonzalez has a team-high 363 assists with 75 digs and has been named ECC Setter of the Week three times. She recorded her 1,000th career assist in the win over Goldey-Beacom on September 3rd and was named to the ECC Honor Roll on Monday. Junior Anyelainy Vizcaino Araujo was named to the ECC Honor Roll on August 29th and is second on the team with 82 kills to go along with 45 digs. Senior Julia Pomerleau ranks third on the team with 77 kills and has 16 blocks on the year. Senior Stéphanie Lankhorst was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week on September 19th and to the ECC Honor Roll earlier in the season and is fourth on the team with 70 kills and leads the team with 27 blocks. Mercy went 13-15 in 2021 and qualified for the ECC Championship for the second straight season. In 2021, the Mavericks finished with their highest winning percentage overall and in ECC play since 2005. Mercy was picked second in the ECC Preseason Poll. Leading the returners is Schneid who was named First Team All-ECC last season after leading the team in kills (327) and aces (48). She also was second on the team in digs (307) and ranked third in the ECC in kills. Also returning is Gonzalez who was tabbed First Team All-ECC last year after recording 885 assists, 310 digs and 32 aces. She led the team in assists and digs. Rivera Maldonado returns after being named to the ECC Honor Roll three times last year. She had 248 kills, ranking second on the team in kills. Vulic will return after ranking fourth on the team in digs with 268 last season. Lankhorst also returns after posting 162 kills and 59 blocks a year ago. Lankhorst placed second on the team in blocks in 2021.
Scouting the Falcons
Bentley is coming off a 3-0 win over Bridgeport on Monday. The Falcons enter Wednesday's match on a seven-match winning streak and are a perfect 9-0 at home. Bentley was picked third in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 15-13 last season, losing to Daemen in five sets in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Falcons have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last two years it was held. Bentley is led by junior Ellie Wheeler who has 168 kills to go along with 48 digs. Senior Ingrid Murphy leads the team with 169 kills and is second with 213 digs. Graduate student Amanda Parker has 108 kills, a team-high 301 assists and 42 blocks with 158 digs. Junior Natalie Thorn has 288 assists and sophomore Jazzy Burke has a team-high 247 digs.
Next Match
Mercy will play at Daemen on Saturday, October 8th at 1 p.m.
