FLUSHING, N.Y. (Sept. 30, 2023) – Despite a double-double from senior Larissa Schneid (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western CC), the Mercy University volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (15-25, 18-25, 25-18, 22-25) decision to ECC foe Queens College on Saturday afternoon at Fitzgerald Gymnasium.

The Mavericks (7-2, 2-1 ECC) suffer their first ECC loss of the season, while the Knights (9-5, 3-1 ECC) defeat Mercy for the second straight year in Flushing.

Schneid had a match-high-tying 16 kills with a match-high 18 digs and junior Anyelainy Vizcaino (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Southwestern CC) had a match-high-tying 16 kills. Senior Yarianne Gonzalez (Manati, Puerto Rico/Monroe College) had a team-high 38 assists and junior Aitza Cruz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico/Polk State College) had 15 digs. Sophomore Samantha Cooney (Nyack, N.Y./Nyack) had a career-high 12 digs and graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) had eight kills.

Queens was led by Christina Franco and Kendall Conrad who both had a team-high 15 kills.

The Knights scored the first four points of the opening set and later held a 13-5 lead. Back-to-back Mercy points made it 13-7 before Queens went on a 9-4 run to take a 22-11 lead. The Mavericks later cut the deficit to nine, 24-15, after back-to-back Vizcaino kills. However, a Franco kill gave Queens the 25-15 set one win.

Mercy jumped out to a 7-3 lead in set two and later held an 11-9 lead after a Vizcaino kill. The Knights rallied with a 6-1 run to take a 15-12 lead. Back-to-back kills from Schneid made it 15-14 before a Mercy service error made it 16-14. Schneid followed with another kill to make it 16-15 before Queens scored the next six points to build a 22-15 lead. A Gonzalez ace later in the set made it 24-18, but a Conrad kill gave the Knights a 25-18 set two win.

The Mavericks took a 9-2 lead in set three after a Schneid kill. The Knights went on a 6-2 run to make it 11-8. Vizcaino answered with a kill to make it 12-8 and Mercy would score three of the next four points to take a 15-9 lead after a Pomerleau kill. The Mavericks increased the lead to eight, 19-11, after a freshman Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) kill. Queens cut the Mercy lead to five, 22-17, but the Mavericks closed the set with three of the final four points to earn a 25-18 set three win after a Vizcaino kill.

Mercy built a 4-1 lead in set four and held a 7-4 lead before the Knights netted five straight points to take a 9-7 lead. The Mavericks recorded the next four points to take the lead back at 11-9. Mercy held a 16-14 lead after a senior Tanializ Rivera (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Concordia College) block before Queens scored five unanswered points to take a 19-16 lead. A Queens service error and Vizcaino kill made it 19-18 before three consecutive points by Queens made it 22-18. Mercy scored four of the next points to cut the deficit to one, 23-22, after a Pomerleau kill. However, a kill from Conrad and a Mercy attack error gave Queens the set, 25-22, and the match in four sets.

Mercy hit .153 with 51 kills, 55 digs, seven aces and three blocks. Queens hit .273 with 47 kills, 51 digs, 10 aces and five blocks.

Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, October 7th when they host Daemen at 12 p.m.