DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Oct. 16, 2024) – Powered by double-doubles from freshman Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy) and junior Gabriela Bieniek (Rzeszow, Poland/Indian Hills CC), a match-high-tying 14 kills from graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) and a match-high 39 assists from sophomore Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College), the Mercy University volleyball team earned a 3-1 (23-25, 25-7, 28-26, 25-19) win over ECC foe Molloy University on Wednesday night at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.
The Mavericks (8-5, 2-3 ECC) have won two matches in a row and snap a two-match losing streak to the Lions (11-7, 2-3 ECC).
Mercy was led by Dilena who had a match-high-tying 14 kills with a team-high-tying 10 digs with two aces. Bieniek had 11 kills, four aces and a team-high-tying 10 digs and Pomerleau had a match-high-tying 14 kills on .423 hitting with four blocks. Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 39 assists with eight digs and four blocks. Junior Samantha Cooney (Nyack, N.Y./Nyack) added a season-high nine digs and junior Marichelle Rodriguez (Yonkers, N.Y./Yonkers) had five digs and four aces. Senior Sydney Whitfield (Clemson, S.C./D.W Daniel) added four digs and freshman Lexi Stooksbury (Marengo, Ohio/Big Walnut) had four kills.
Molloy was led by Kiarra Roth who had a match-high-tying 14 kills.
Molloy took a 10-5 lead in set one before Mercy went on a 12-4 run to take a 17-14 lead after a Cooney ace. The Lions scored the next three points to tie the set at 17-17 before the Mavericks went on a 3-1 spurt to take a 20-18 lead after a Pomerleau kill. Mercy later held a 23-20 lead after a Stooksbury and Pomerleau block. However, Molloy scored the final five points of the set to take the opening set, 25-23.
Mercy jumped out to a 14-3 lead in set two after back-to-back Bieniek aces. Molloy tallied the next three points to make it 14-6. The Mavericks ended the set on an 11-1 run to take the second set, 25-7, capped off by a Rivera Rodriguez ace.
The Lions held an 8-5 lead in set three before Mercy went on a 10-2 run to take a 15-10 lead. Molloy scored the next seven points to retake the lead at 17-15, but the Mavericks answered with three consecutive points to take an 18-17 lead. The Lions ensued with a 5-1 run to take a 22-19 lead before back-to-back Mercy points made it 22-21. Molloy recorded two of the next three points to take a 24-22 lead, serving for set point. A Lion attack error and Pomerleau kill tied the set at 24-24 before a Mercy service error gave Molloy a 25-24 lead, serving again for set point. A Julia Zalta service error evened the score at 25-25 before a Teresa Moulder kill gave the visitors a 26-25 lead, serving again for set point. Mercy scored the final three points of the set, aided by kills from Pomerleau and Bieniek, to take the third set, 28-26.
Molloy maintained a 13-12 lead in set four before Mercy scored six straight points to take an 18-13 lead after a sophomore Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) and Rivera Rodriguez block. The Lions scored two unanswered points to make it 18-15 before a Rodriguez Fuentes kill, a Rodriguez ace and Pomerleau kill gave Mercy a 21-15 lead. Molloy made it 21-17 before a Molloy service error, a Rivera Rodriguez ace and Stooksbury kill gave Mercy a 24-17 lead, serving for match point. The Lions scored two points in a row to make it 24-19, but Dilena recorded her final kill of the night to give Mercy the 25-19 set four win and the match in four sets.
Mercy hit .244 with 48 kills, 50 digs, nine blocks and 14 aces. Molloy hit .110 with 39 kills, 48 digs, nine blocks and eight aces.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, October 19th when they play at Queens at 5:30 p.m.
