WALTHAM, Mass. (Oct. 17, 2023) – Despite six Mavericks recording a kill, the Mercy University volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (19-25, 15-25, 20-25) decision to RV Bentley University on Tuesday night at the Dana Center.
The Mavericks (9-4) see their two-match winning streak come to an end and fall to the Falcons (16-3) for the fifth straight time.
Mercy was led by senior Larissa Schneid (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western CC) who had a team-high-tying six kills and a match-high 12 digs. Graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) also had a team-high-tying six kills to go along with a match-high six blocks and junior Anyelainy Vizcaino (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Southwestern CC) had five kills and four digs. Junior Aitza Cruz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico/Polk State College) had nine digs and senior Ayzaline Garay (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Bronx School of Law, Government and Justice) had three kills and five digs. Freshman Alanis Calderon (Canovanas, Puerto Rico/CIEM Private School) added a match-high 21 assists with seven digs and one kill.
Bentley was led by Ellie Wheeler who had a match-high nine kills.
The Falcons scored the first four points of set one and held a 9-2 lead. The Mavericks battled back and went on an 8-4 run to cut the deficit to three, 13-10, after a Vizcaino kill. Bentley scored the next three points to take a 16-10 lead before three consecutive points from Mercy made it 16-13. A Schneid kill later made it 19-15 in favor of Bentley before the Falcons tallied four of the next five points to take a 23-16 lead. The Mavericks recorded three of the next four points to make it 24-19, but a Mercy service error gave Bentley the opening set, 25-19.
Mercy held a 2-1 lead in set two before Bentley scored the next four points to take a 5-2 lead. The Falcons later increased the lead to 9-3 before the Mavericks went on a 10-4 run to tie the set at 13-13 after a Schneid kill. Bentley ensued with seven straight points to take a 20-13 lead and closed the set on a 12-2 run after the set was tied at 13-13 to take the second set, 25-15.
The Mavericks jumped out to a 5-1 lead in set three after a Garay ace and held a 6-2 lead after a Pomerleau kill. Mercy later held a 7-4 lead before Bentley scored the next four points to take an 8-7 lead. The Mavericks regained the lead at 9-8 after back-to-back points before the Falcons went on a 7-2 spurt to take a 15-11 lead. Mercy continued to battle and netted the next five points to retake the lead at 16-15 after a Pomerleau kill. The Mavericks later held an 18-17 lead before Bentley recorded six straight points to retake the lead at 23-18. A Schneid kill and Vizcaino ace made it 23-20, but back-to-back kills from Caitlin Wunder gave the Falcons the set, 25-20, and the match in three sets.
Mercy hit .065 with 24 kills, 41 digs, six blocks and two aces. Bentley hit .192 with 35 kills, 43 digs, three blocks and 12 aces.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, October 21st when they play at Daemen at 12 p.m.
