DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Oct. 6, 2022) – The Mercy College volleyball team plays at ECC foe Daemen University on Saturday, October 8th at 1 p.m. before playing at ECC foe D'Youville University on Sunday, October 9th at 12 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, October 8th 1 p.m.
Records: Mercy (8-3, 2-1 ECC), Daemen (11-3, 4-0 ECC)
Location: Amherst, N.Y.
Date/Time: Sunday, October 9th 12 p.m.
Records: Mercy (8-3, 2-1 ECC), D'Youville (4-15, 0-4 ECC)
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Daemen
Daemen earned a 3-0 win over Mercy on November 6, 2021.
Last Meeting vs. D'Youville
Mercy earned a 3-0 win over D'Youville on November 7, 2021.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy is coming off a 3-0 loss to Bentley on Wednesday. The Mavericks were led by senior Yarianne Gonzalez who had a double-double by way of 16 assists and 12 digs. Mercy is off to their best start since 2005. The Mavericks are 3-13 all-time against Daemen and look to win at Daemen for the first time in program history. Mercy is also 2-0 all-time against D'Youville with their first two meetings coming last season. Mercy earned their first win over 2021 NCAA Tournament participant Southern Connecticut State since 1999 on August 26th. The Mavericks are led by senior Larissa 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 138 kills with 98 digs on the season. Senior Selma Vulic was tabbed ECC Defensive Player of the Week on August 29th and has a team-high 139 digs. Gonzalez has a team-high 379 assists with 87 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 has been named to the ECC Honor Roll twice. Junior Anyelainy Vizcaino Araujo was named to the ECC Honor Roll on August 29th and is second on the team with 85 kills to go along with 47 digs. Senior Julia Pomerleau ranks third on the team with 83 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 75 kills and leads the team with 30 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. Nilka 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 Wildcats
Daemen earned a straight-set win over Le Moyne in their last match on Wednesday. The Wildcats have won six matches in a row with all coming in three sets. Daemen was picked first in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 25-8 overall and 12-0 in ECC play. The Wildcats won the ECC Regular Season and Tournament Championships last season and won its first-ever NCAA East Region Championship to advance to the Division II Elite Eight. Daemen returns 12 players from last year's team highlighted by graduate student Sam Logan who was named the ECC Preseason Player of the Year. Logan is currently second on the team with 111 kills and has 112 digs and a .190 hitting percentage. Senior Maggie Burns has a team-high 115 kills to go along with 121 digs and a .234 hitting percentage. Junior Vanessa Kuliga has 85 kills and 19 aces and junior Jasmine Brundage has a team-high 166 digs. Junior Olivia Alessi has a team-high 227 assists and Kuliga has a team-high 18 blocks.
Scouting the Saints
D'Youville dropped a four-set match to Roberts Wesleyan on September 30th. The Saints will face Alliance and Saint Rose on Saturday before hosting Mercy on Sunday. D'Youville is currently on a 12-match losing streak and has not won since September 3rd when they defeated Glenville State in five sets. The Saints were picked fifth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 3-24 overall and 2-10 in ECC play last season. D'Youville is led by sophomore Jaycee Karelus who has a team-high 119 kills with 64 digs. Sophomore Eve Musielak is second on the team with 110 kills and has 141 digs. Sophomore Emma Wlostowski has a team-high 157 digs and 451 assists on the season and junior Brianna Damstetter has a team-high 41 blocks.
Next Match
Mercy will host Caldwell on Monday, October 17th at 7 p.m.
