DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 3, 2022) – The Mercy College volleyball team ECC foe Daemen University on Saturday, November 5th at 12 p.m. and hosts D'Youville University on Sunday, November 6th at 12 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, November 5th 12 p.m.
Records: Mercy (12-5, 5-3 ECC), Daemen (16-5, 9-0 ECC)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Date/Time: Sunday, November 6th 12 p.m.
Records: Mercy (12-5, 5-3 ECC), D'Youville (4-22, 0-9 ECC)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Daemen
Daemen earned a 3-1 win over Mercy on October 8, 2022.
Last Meeting vs. D'Youville
Mercy earned a 3-1 win over D'Youville on October 9, 2022.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy is coming off a 3-1 loss to Queens on Saturday. The Mavericks were led by senior Larissa Schneid who had a match-high 19 kills and by senior Yarianne Gonzalez who had 41 assists and 13 digs. Schneid was named to the ECC Honor Roll on Monday. Pomerleau was named ECC Player of the Week last week and Vizcaino Araujo was tabbed to the Honor Roll for the third time this season. Vizcaino Araujo was named to the ECC Honor Roll for the second time this season on October 11th. Mercy is off to their best start since 2005. The Mavericks are currently ranked 10th in the latest NCAA East Regional Rankings and are looking to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005. Mercy has secured their third straight ECC Championship berth and currently sits in a tie for second place in the ECC standings. With wins in their final two matches, the Mavericks would secure the No. 2 seed in the ECC Championship. With one more win, Mercy would match their win total from all of last year. The Mavericks are 3-14 all-time against Daemen and have dropped the last three meetings. Mercy is also 3-0 all-time against D'Youville. 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 leads the team with 163 kills to go along with 126 digs on the season. Senior Selma Vulic was tabbed ECC Defensive Player of the Week on August 29th and has a team-high 210 digs. Gonzalez has a team-high 623 assists with 153 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. Vizcaino Araujo was named to the ECC Honor Roll on August 29th and is second on the team with 160 kills to go along with 73 digs. Senior Julia Pomerleau ranks third on the team with 147 kills and has 29 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 111 kills and leads the team with 48 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 3-1 win over Roberts Wesleyan in their last match on October 26th. The Wildcats have won three matches in a row after a two-match losing streak. Daemen is currently ranked third in the latest NCAA East Regional Rankings. 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 currently leads the team with 193 kills and has a team-high 202 digs and a .179 hitting percentage. Senior Maggie Burns is second on the team with 186 kills to go along with 172 digs and a .237 hitting percentage. Junior Vanessa Kuliga has 121 kills and 27 aces and junior Jasmine Brundage 198 digs. Junior Olivia Alessi has a team-high 419 assists and Kuliga has a team-high 32 blocks.
Scouting the Saints
D'Youville dropped a four-set match to Roberts Wesleyan on October 28th. D'Youville is currently on a 19-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 freshman Isabelle Prentice who has a team-high 166 kills with 152 digs. Freshman Jaycee Karelus is second on the team with 155 kills and has 88 digs 64 digs. Sophomore Eve Musielak is third on the team with 120 kills and has 153 digs. Sophomore Emma Wlostowski has a team-high 215 digs and 642 assists on the season and junior Brianna Damstetter has a team-high 51 blocks.
Next Match
Mercy will play in the ECC Championship Semifinals on Friday, November 11th at Daemen.
