ORANGEBURG, N.Y. (Sept. 12, 2024) – Powered by a season-high 18 kills from junior Gabriela Bieniek (Rzeszow, Poland/Indian Hills CC) and a match-high 36 assists from sophomore Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College), the Mercy University volleyball team earned a 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-22) win over Dominican University on Thursday night at the Hennessy Center.
The Mavericks (3-1) have won three matches in a row and defeat the Chargers (0-1) for the eighth straight time.
Mercy was led by Bieniek who had a match-high 18 kills to go along with five digs and a match-high five aces. Rivera Rodriguez added a match-high 36 assists with six digs and senior Anyelainy Vizcaino (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Southwestern CC) had eight kills. Freshman Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy) contributed seven kills and a match-high 12 digs and graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) had six kills. Senior Aitza Cruz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico/Polk State College) had 10 digs and sophomore Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) had three kills and six blocks.
Dominican was led by Kaitlyn Carr who had a team-high 12 kills.
The Chargers took a 2-1 lead in set one before Mercy scored five straight points to take a 6-2 lead after a Cruz ace. Dominican later cut the Mavericks' lead to two, 11-9, before Mercy went on a 7-2 run to take an 18-11 lead after a Bieniek kill. The hosts scored the next four points to make it 18-15 before a Dominican service error, a Rodriguez Fuentes kill and a Bieniek ace gave the Mavericks a 21-15 advantage. The Chargers later got within four, 23-19, but back-to-back kills by Vizcaino gave Mercy the opening set, 25-19.
Dominican built a 4-3 lead in set two before the Mavericks rallied with four consecutive points to take a 7-4 lead after a Rivera Rodriguez and Rodriguez Fuentes block. Mercy later held a 12-9 lead before the Mavericks ensued with a 7-2 spurt to take a 19-11 lead after a Bieniek block. A Carr kill later in the set made it 21-15, but Mercy netted the final four points of the set to take the second set, 25-15.
The Chargers held a 4-3 lead in set three before the Mavericks rattled off a 7-0 run to take a 10-4 lead after a Rodriguez Fuentes kill. Mercy increased the lead to seven, 13-6, after a Pomerleau kill. However, Dominican came back with five straight points to make it 13-11. The Mavericks rallied with a 7-3 spurt to increase their lead to six, 20-14, forcing a Dominican timeout. Following the timeout, the Chargers went on an 8-4 run to cut the Mercy lead to two, 24-22. However, Bieniek put the match away with her final kill of the night to give the Mavericks the 25-22 set three win and the match in three sets.
Mercy hit .235 with 42 kills, 42 digs, nine blocks and eight aces and Dominican hit .144 with 30 kills, 36 digs, three blocks and zero aces.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, September 17th when they play at Pace at 7 p.m.
