DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 9, 2023) – Powered by a match-high 13 kills from graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine), a double-double from senior Yarianne Gonzalez (Manati, Puerto Rico/Monroe College) and a match-high 12 digs from junior Aitza Cruz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico/Polk State College), the Mercy University volleyball team earned a 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-16) win over regionally-ranked American International College on Thursday night at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.
The Mavericks (13-7) have won four matches in a row and defeat the two-time defending NE10 Regular Season Champion Yellow Jackets (15-9) for the first time since 2019. AIC was ranked second in the East Region in the latest NCAA Regional Rankings released on Wednesday, while the Mavericks were eighth.
Pomerleau hit .391 with two blocks and Gonzalez had a match-high 31 assists with 10 digs. Cruz had a match-high 12 digs and senior Larissa Schneid (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western CC) had 11 kills and six digs. Junior Anyelainy Vizcaino (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Southwestern CC) had 10 kills and freshman Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) had six kills and a match-high five blocks. Sophomore Samantha Cooney (Nyack, N.Y./Nyack) added six digs.
AIC was led by Kristina Peric who had a team-high 10 kills.
Mercy held a 9-8 lead in set one before a Peric kill made it 9-9. The Mavericks answered with five straight points, capped off by a Tanializ Rivera (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Concordia College) and Illes-Hair block to take a 14-9 lead. The Yellow Jackets scored three unanswered points to make it 14-12 before Mercy went on a 5-1 run to take a 19-13 lead after a Schneid ace. The Mavericks later held a 22-17 lead before the Yellow Jackets went on a 5-1 run to cut Mercy's lead to 23-22. However, a block from Schneid and Illes-Hair and an AIC attack error gave Mercy the first set, 25-22.
AIC jumped out to a 13-8 lead in set two before Mercy rallied with a 5-1 run to cut the deficit to one, 14-13. The Yellow Jackets later held an 18-15 lead before the Mavericks stormed back on a 6-2 run to take a 21-20 lead after a Pomerleau kill. AIC regained the lead later in the set at 23-22 before back-to-back kills from Pomerleau and Schneid and a block by Illes-Hair gave Mercy the 25-23 set two win.
Mercy scored the first four points of the third set before AIC battled back and cut the Mavericks lead to one, 6-5. Mercy responded with a 6-2 spurt to take a 12-7 lead after a Schneid kill. AIC followed with a 5-2 run of their own to cut the Mavericks lead to just two, 14-12. Mercy ensued with four straight points to take an 18-12 lead after an Illes-Hair kill. The Yellow Jackets netted three straight points to make it 18-15, but the Mavericks would close the set on a 7-1 run, finished off by a Pomerleau kill, to take the set, 25-16, and the match in three sets.
Mercy hit .232 with 43 kills, 40 digs, five aces and seven blocks. AIC hit .141 with 31 kills, 31 digs, seven aces and nine blocks.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, November 11th when they host St. Thomas Aquinas for Senior Day at 2 p.m.
