SPARKILL, N.Y. (Oct. 26, 2024) – Powered by double-digit kills from freshman Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy), graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) and senior Anyelainy Vizcaino (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Southwestern CC) and a match-high 53 assists from sophomore Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College), the Mercy University volleyball team overcame an 0-2 deficit to earn a 3-2 (23-25, 21-25, 25-21, 25-21, 15-13) win over ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas College on Saturday afternoon.

The Mavericks (10-7, 4-3 ECC) snap a two-match losing streak and sweep the season series with the Spartans (6-14, 0-7 ECC) for the second straight year. Mercy now has double-digit wins in a season for the sixth straight season.

Mercy was led by Dilena who had a career-high 19 kills on .359 hitting with six digs. Pomerleau recorded a career-high 18 kills on .467 hitting and Vizcaino produced a double-double by way of a career-high-tying 18 kills with a team-high 11 digs. Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 53 assists with four blocks and sophomore Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) had four kills and five blocks. Junior Samantha Cooney (Nyack, N.Y./Nyack) added eight digs.

STAC was led by Greta Santini who had a match-high 20 kills.

Mercy took a 14-12 lead in set one after a Dilena kill. The Spartans went on a 7-2 run to take a 19-16 lead. The Mavericks later cut the STAC lead to one, 24-23, after a Rivera Rodriguez and Illes-Hair block, but a Chloe Weiting kill gave the Spartans a 25-23 set one win.

Mercy built a 10-8 lead in set two before STAC scored eight straight points to take a 16-10 lead. The Mavericks rallied with a 7-2 run to make it 18-17. STAC scored the next three points to take a 21-17 lead before Mercy went on a 4-2 spurt to cut the Spartans lead to two, 23-21, after a Pomerleau kill. Back-to-back STAC kills gave the hosts the 25-21 set two win and a 2-0 lead in the match.

STAC jumped out to a 5-1 lead in set three and looked to be on their way to winning the match in three sets. However, after a Mercy timeout the Mavericks scored six consecutive points to take a 7-5 lead after a senior Aitza Cruz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico/Polk State College) ace. The Spartans later evened the set at 9-9 before Mercy tallied five unanswered points to retake the lead at 14-9 after a Pomerleau kill. STAC came back on an 8-3 run to tie the set again at 17-17. The Mavericks answered again with five points in a row to take a 22-17 lead after a Vizcaino kill. STAC later cut the deficit to three, 24-21, but a Spartan service error gave Mercy the set 25-21.

Mercy took a 9-4 lead in set four after a sophomore Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) ace, leading to a Spartan timeout. Following the timeout, STAC cut the Mavericks' lead to three, 15-12. Mercy responded back with five of the next six points to take a 20-13 lead after a Dilena kill. The Spartans went on an 8-3 run to make it 23-21, but following a Mercy timeout, back-to-back kills from Dilena gave the Mavericks the 25-21 set four win and evened the match at 2-2.

STAC built a 4-1 lead in set five, leading to a Mercy timeout. Following the timeout, the Mavericks went on an 8-3 run to take a 9-7 lead after a Pomerleau kill. The Spartans scored the next two points to tie the set at 9-9 before back-to-back kills from Pomerleau and Vizcaino gave Mercy an 11-9 lead, forcing a STAC timeout. Following the timeout, the Spartans tied the set at 13-13 before a kill from Dilena and a block from Rodriguez Fuentes and Rivera Rodriguez gave Mercy the set, 15-13, and the come-from-behind win in five sets.

Mercy hit .275 with 63 kills, 42 digs, 11 blocks and eight aces. STAC hit .262 with 56 kills, 42 digs, seven blocks and eight aces.

Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, October 29th when they play at Caldwell at 7 p.m.