DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Sept. 20, 2024) – Powered by a match-high 16 kills from junior Gabriela Bieniek (Rzeszow, Poland/Indian Hills CC), a match-high 20 digs from senior Aitza Cruz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico/Polk State College) and a match-high 42 assists from sophomore Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College), the Mercy University volleyball team earned a 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-16) win over Felician University on Friday night at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.
The Mavericks (5-1) have won five matches in a row and start 5-1 for the third straight year. Mercy defeats the Golden Falcons (2-8) for the 10th straight time.
Mercy was led by Bieniek who had a match-high 16 kills on .429 hitting and by Cruz who had a season-high 20 digs. Rivera Rodriguez had 42 assists, six digs, three kills, two aces and three blocks and graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) had nine kills on .692 hitting. Freshman Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy) added nine kills and five digs senior Anyelainy Vizcaino (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/Southwestern CC) had seven kills. Sophomore Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) had three kills and senior Sydney Whitfield (Clemson, S.C./D.W Daniel) and sophomore Alanis Calderon (Canovanas, Puerto Rico/CIEM Private School) each had an ace. Junior Samantha Cooney (Nyack, N.Y./Nyack) recorded one dig.
Felician was led by Karla Maldonado who had a team-high 11 kills.
Felician scored the first three points of the first set and held a 5-3 lead. Mercy stormed back on a 6-1 run to take a 9-6 lead after a Dilena kill. The Golden Falcons later cut the Mavericks' lead to one, 13-12, but Mercy closed the set on a 12-1 run to take the opening set, 25-13, after a Rivera Rodriguez and Illes-Hair block.
The visitors took an 8-7 lead in set two, but the Mavericks rallied with a 9-3 run to take a 16-11 lead after back-to-back Bieniek kills. Felician later cut the Mercy lead to three, 20-17, before the Mavericks scored four of the next five points to take a 24-18 lead. The Golden Falcons scored the next two points to make it 24-20 before a Felician service error gave Mercy the 25-20 set two win.
Felician held a 5-3 lead in set three before Mercy recorded four straight points to take a 7-5 lead. The Golden Falcons later tied the set at 9-9 before the Mavericks went on a 5-2 spurt to take a 14-11 lead after a Bieniek kill. A Maldonado kill later made it 15-13 before Mercy went on an 8-2 run to take a 23-15 lead. A Kelly Samano kill made it 23-16 before back-to-back points by the Mavericks gave Mercy the set, 25-16, and the match in three sets.
Mercy hit a season-high .463 with 48 kills, 36 digs, three blocks and nine aces. Felician hit .203 with 25 kills, 22 digs, two blocks and five aces.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, September 24th when they host Adelphi at 7 p.m.
