ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Sept. 27, 2023) – Powered by double-doubles from seniors Yarianne Gonzalez (Manati, Puerto Rico/Monroe College) and Larissa Schneid (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western CC), the Mercy University volleyball team earned a 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 25-22, 25-22) win over ECC foe Molloy University on Wednesday night at Quealy Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (7-1, 2-0 ECC) have won two matches in a row and start 7-1 for the second straight year. Mercy is now 2-0 in ECC play for the first time since 2021 and earns a win at Molloy (4-9, 1-2 ECC) for the first time since 2021.
Schneid had a match-high 20 kills with 11 digs and Gonzalez had a match-high 39 assists with 10 digs. Senior Ayzaline Garay (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Bronx School of Law, Government and Justice) had 10 kills and eight digs and graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) had 10 kills. Junior Aitza Cruz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico/Polk State College) had nine digs and junior Anyelainy Vizcaino (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Southwestern CC) had nine digs and a match-high six aces. Sophomore Samantha Cooney (Nyack, N.Y./Nyack) added five digs.
Molloy was led by Kiarra Roth who had a team-high 18 kills.
Mercy jumped out to a 5-2 lead in set one and later held a 12-8 lead after a Cruz ace. An Aria Miller kill made it 12-9 before the Mavericks scored four straight points, capped off by a Schneid kill, to take a 16-9 lead. Molloy rallied with a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to two, 18-16. However, the Mavericks ended the set on a 7-1 run, finished off by a Garay ace, to take the first set, 25-17.
Molloy took a 5-0 lead in set two and later held a 12-6 lead. Mercy followed with a 3-1 spurt to make it 13-9 before the Lions went on a 7-1 run to take a 20-10 lead. The Mavericks battled back and cut the deficit to five, 24-19, after a Garay kill, but a Mariana Donado Yepes kill gave the Lions a 25-19 set two win to tie the match at 1-1.
Mercy scored the first two points of set three, but Molloy ensued with a 6-1 run to take a 6-3 lead. The Lions later built the lead to six, 15-9, and looked like they were pulling away from the Mavericks. However, Mercy continued to battle and scored five straight points to make it 15-14. Molloy later held a 22-21 lead late in the set and looked to be on the verge of winning the set, but the Mavericks scored the final four points of the set to take the third set, 25-22.
The Lions built a 4-0 lead in set four and later held a 12-8 lead. Mercy responded with a 9-1 run to take a 17-13 lead following a Vizcaino ace. Molloy ensued with a 6-2 run to tie the set at 19-19. The Mavericks scored four of the next five points to retake the lead at 23-20 after a Pomerleau kill. The Lions scored two straight points to make it 23-22, but a Molloy service error and Schneid kill gave Mercy the 25-22 set four win and the match in four sets.
Mercy hit .138 with 47 kills, 54 digs, 14 aces and five blocks. Molloy hit .200 with 47 kills, 48 digs, one ace and 10 blocks.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, September 30th when they play at Queens at 12 p.m.
