ROCHESTER, N.Y. (Nov. 3, 2024) - Powered by double-doubles from sophomore Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College), junior Gabriela Bieniek (Rzeszow, Poland/Indian Hills CC) and freshman Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy), the Mercy University volleyball team earned a 3-2 (25-20, 20-25, 21-25, 25-19, 15-4) win at ECC foe Roberts Wesleyan University on Sunday afternoon at the Voller Athletic Center.

The Mavericks (12-7, 5-3 ECC) have won three games in a row and five straight ECC matches. Mercy splits the season series with the Redhawks (11-10, 2-6 ECC). 

Mercy was led by Rivera Rodriguez who had a match-high 51 assists with 12 digs. Bieniek had a match-high-tying 16 kills with 10 digs and Dilena had a match-high-tying 16 kills with a team-high 15 digs. Graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) had 12 kills and seven blocks and senior Anyelainy Vizcaino (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Southwestern CC) had eight kills. Senior Sydney Whitfield (Clemson, S.C./D.W Daniel) added six digs. 

Roberts Wesleyan was led by Olivia Price who had a team-high 14 kills.

The Redhawks held a 7-5 lead in set one before Mercy scored four straight points to take a 9-7 lead after a Dilena kill. Roberts Wesleyan stormed back on a 6-3 run to take a 13-12 lead before the Mavericks scored the next three points to take a 15-13 lead after a Bieniek kill. The hosts later cut Mercy's lead to one, 18-17, before the Mavericks scored five unanswered points to take a 23-17 lead after a Vizcaino kill. Roberts Wesleyan scored the next three points to make it 23-20 before back-to-back kills by Bieniek gave Mercy a 25-20 set one win. 

Mercy scored the first seven points of set two to take a 7-0 lead after a Dilena kill. Mercy later held an 8-1 lead before the Redhawks went on an 11-2 run to take a 12-10 lead. Mercy later tied the set at 18-18 after a Bieniek kill, but Roberts Wesleyan closed the set on a 7-2 run to take the set, 25-20, tying the match at 1-1. 

Mercy held a 14-13 lead in set three before the hosts went on a 7-2 run to take a 20-16 lead. The Mavericks later cut the deficit to two, 23-21, before back-to-back kills by Roberts Wesleyan gave them the set, 25-21, and the 2-1 lead in the match.

Mercy built an 8-5 lead in set four after a Dilena kill. Roberts Wesleyan battled back and later tied the set at 15-15. Four straight Maverick points made it 19-15 after a Bieniek kill before the Redhawks recorded the next three points to make it 19-18. Mercy closed the set with six of the final seven points to take the set, 25-19, tying the match at 2-2. 

Mercy took a 6-3 lead in set five after a sophomore Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) kill. A Morgan Verbridge kill made it 6-4 before the Mavericks scored the final nine points, capped off by a Dilena kill, to take the set, 15-4, and the match in five sets. 

Mercy hit .186 with 59 kills, 58 digs, nine blocks and nine aces. Roberts Wesleyan hit .152 with 54 kills, 64 digs, nine blocks and five aces. 

Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, November 6th when they play at AIC at 7 p.m.