DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Dec. 2, 2024) – The No. 6 seeded Mercy University volleyball team faces No. 3 seeded American International College in an NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championship First Round matchup on Thursday, December 5th at 1:30 p.m. at Bentley University.
Who, When and Where
First Round
Date/Time: Thursday, December 5th 1:30 p.m.
Records: #6 Mercy (16-10), #3 American International (19-6)
Location: Waltham, Mass. (Bentley University)
Tickets
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Ticket Prices
$8 Adults
$5 Student/Senior
Match Coverage
Live Stats
Video
Tournament Central Page
Last Meeting vs. American International
Mercy dropped a 3-0 decision at American International on November 6, 2024.
Scouting the Mavericks
The Mavericks dropped a 3-1 decision to D'Youville in the ECC Championship Final on November 23rd. Mercy advanced to the ECC Final for the first time since 2005. The Mavericks are making their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance after not making since 2005. This year will be Mercy's seventh overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program history. The Mavericks advanced to the National Quarterfinals in 2001. Mercy is 2-7 in their last nine meetings against AIC but defeated the Yellow Jackets last season in Dobbs Ferry. With a win on Thursday, the Mavericks would face the winner of #2 Daemen/#7 Georgian Court on Friday, December 6th at 4 p.m. at Bentley. Mercy is looking to win a match in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. Mercy qualified for the ECC Tournament for the fifth straight season. Third-year head coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks were picked second in the ECC Preseason Poll. Returning for the Mavericks is graduate student Julia Pomerleau who has been named Second Team All-ECC each of the last two seasons. Pomerleau started all 24 matches last season and had 205 kills, 63 blocks and hit .401. She led the team in blocks and hitting percentage and was second in kills. The graduate student ranked 10th nationally in hitting percentage and was third in the ECC in blocks. Also returning is senior Anyelainy Vizcaino who was named All-ECC Honorable Mention in 2022. Vizcaino had 200 kills, 32 aces, 95 digs and 23 blocks in 2023. She led the team in aces and was third in kills. Senior Aitza Cruz is also back in the fold after being named ECC Defensive Player of the Week once last year. Cruz had 247 digs a year ago, ranking second on the team. Sophomore Mia Illes-Hair is also back after being named ECC Rookie of the Week once last season. She recorded 78 kills, 50 blocks, 15 aces and hit .294. Junior Samantha Cooney returns after posting 119 digs and sophomore Alanis Calderon is back after posting 81 assists, 19 aces and 36 digs in 2023.
Junior Gabriela Bieniek was named ECC Player of the Week twice this season and freshman Grace Dilena was tabbed Player of the Week twice and Rookie of the Week four times. Sophomore Adriana Rivera Rodriguez was named Setter of the Week five times and graduate student Julia Pomerleau was named Defensive Player of the Week once. Bieniek and Pomerleau were named First Team All-ECC and Dilena was tabbed Second Team All-ECC and Rookie of the Year. Rivera Rodriguez was also tabbed Setter of the Year and Second Team All-ECC. The Mavericks have been led by Dilena who has a team-high-tying 324 kills with 204 digs and 41 aces. Bieniek has a team-high-tying 324 kills with 215 digs and a team-high 52 aces. Bieniek ranks second in the ECC in kills per set (3.45). Rivera Rodriguez has a team-high 1,000 assists with 176 digs in 26 matches and graduate student Julia Pomerleau has 244 kills and a team-high 86 blocks this season. Rivera Rodriguez leads the ECC in assists per set (10.20). Anyelainy Vizcaino has 109 kills and senior Aitza Cruz has a team-high 258 digs. Pomerleau leads the ECC with a .406 hitting percentage.
Scouting the Yellow Jackets
AIC is coming off a 3-1 win over Bentley on November 23rd winning the NE10 Championship. The Yellow Jackets have won 18 straight matches entering Thursday's match and have not lost since September 14th against Daemen. AIC won their third NE10 Championship in four seasons. The Yellow Jackets are making their fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. AIC is led by NE10 Player of the Year Victoria Mendez who leads the team with 238 kills and is second in digs (216), blocks (61) and assists (434). NE10 Rookie of the Year and First Team All-NE10 selection Aleksandra Lucic has 134 kills with a team-high 105 blocks and 1.21 blocks per set. Second Team All-NE10 performer Perla Rosa has a team-high 374 digs and Third Team All-NE10 honoree Alice Di Francesco has a team-high 458 assists and 42 aces.
Next Match
The winner of Thursday's match will face the winner of Daemen/Georgian Court in a Second Round match on Friday, December 6th at 4 p.m. at Bentley.
