DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 5, 2023) – Powered by a career-high 38 assists and nine digs from freshman Alanis Calderon (Canovanas, Puerto Rico/CIEM Private School), a match-high 16 kills from senior Larissa Schneid (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western CC) and a match-high 20 digs from junior Aitza Cruz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico/Polk State College), the Mercy University volleyball team earned a 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 25-13, 25-20) win over ECC foe Roberts Wesleyan University on Sunday afternoon at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.
The Mavericks (12-7, 6-5 ECC) have won three matches in a row and defeat the Redhawks (8-14, 4-8 ECC) for the eighth straight time. Mercy has secured their fourth straight ECC Championship berth with the win.
Calderon also had two aces and a kill and Schneid added nine digs. Cruz had a season-high 20 digs and senior Tanializ Rivera (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Concordia College) had 12 kills. Junior Anyelainy Vizcaino (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Southwestern CC) had 11 kills and 10 digs and graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) had nine kills and a match-high six blocks. Sophomore Samantha Cooney (Nyack, N.Y./Nyack) added seven digs.
Roberts Wesleyan was led by Camryn Karelus who had a team-high eight kills.
Mercy scored the first three points of the first set before Roberts Wesleyan battled back and tied the set at 7-7. The Mavericks ensued with a 6-1 run to take a 13-8 lead after a Rivera kill. The Redhawks answered with a 6-2 run to cut Mercy's lead to one, 15-14. The Mavericks followed with a 5-1 run to take a 20-16 lead after a Vizcaino kill. Roberts Wesleyan trimmed the Mercy lead to one, 23-22, before a Schneid kill made it 24-22. A Redhawks block made it 24-23 before a Vizcaino kill gave Mercy the 25-23 set one win.
The second set was tied at 5-5 before Roberts Wesleyan scored five straight points to take a 10-5 lead. The Redhawks later held an 11-6 lead before Mercy stormed back on a 4-1 run to cut the Roberts Wesleyan lead to two, 12-10, after a Pomerleau kill. The Redhawks scored the next four points to take a 16-10 lead and increased the lead to 20-13. The Mavericks scored the next seven points to tie the set at 20-20 after a Calderon kill. The Redhawks closed the set with five straight points to take the set, 25-20.
The Mavericks held a 5-2 lead in set three after a Schneid kill. Roberts Wesleyan made it 5-3 before Mercy scored the next five points to take a 10-3 lead after a Pomerleau kill. The Redhawks later made it 15-8 in favor of the Mavericks before Mercy closed the set on a 10-5 run to cruise to the 25-13 set three win.
Mercy jumped out to a 10-4 lead in set four after a Schneid kill. The Redhawks answered with a 10-5 run to cut the Mavericks lead to one, 15-14. Mercy scored the next five points to take a 20-14 lead after a Rivera kill. The Redhawks later cut the Mavericks lead to four, 24-20, but a Vizcaino kill gave Mercy the set and match.
Mercy hit .177 with 51 kills, 63 digs, 10 blocks and 11 aces. Roberts Wesleyan hit .078 with 33 kills, 42 digs, nine blocks and five aces.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, November 9th when they host American International at 6 p.m.
