SPARKILL, N.Y. – Powered by double-doubles from junior Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy) and senior Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College) and a match-high 14 kills from junior Stasa Stamenkovic (Bor, Serbia/Barton CC), the Mercy University Women's Volleyball Team earned a 3-0 (25-10, 25-9, 25-15) win at ECC foe St. Thomas Aquinas College on Sunday afternoon at the Spartan Athletic Complex.
The Mavericks (15-1, 4-0 ECC) have won seven matches in a row and start 4-0 in ECC play for the second straight year. Mercy defeats the Spartans (7-9, 2-2 ECC) for the seventh straight time.
Mercy held a 4-2 lead in set one before going on a 10-0 run to take a 14-2 lead after a STAC attack error. The Spartans followed with a 5-1 run to make it 15-7 before the Mavericks closed the set on a 10-3 run to take the opening set, 25-10.
The Mavericks began the second set with a 6-1 lead after a senior Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) kill. Mercy later increased the lead to 11-3 after a Stamenkovic kill before the Spartans scored three of the next four points to make it 12-6. The Mavericks responded with a 10-1 run to take a 22-7 lead after a Stamenkovic kill. An Illes-Hair kill later finished off the set, giving Mercy the 25-9 set-two win.
Mercy took a 6-5 lead in set three before scoring six points in a row to take a 12-5 lead after a senior Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) ace. The Spartans later cut the Mavericks' lead to four, 16-12, before Mercy scored the next seven points to take a 23-12 lead after a Dilena kill. STAC recorded the next three points to make it 23-15 before a Spartan service error and Rodriguez Fuentes block gave Mercy the 25-15 set-three win and the sweep.
Mercy was led by Dilena who had a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs. Rivera Rodriguez also had a double-double by way of a match-high 35 assists to go with 10 digs. Stamenkovic had a match-high 14 kills to go with six digs and Illes-Hair added nine kills on .750 hitting. Junior Aleksandra Lucic (Belgrade, Serbia/Florida SouthWestern State College/AIC) had six kills and a match-high 11 digs to go with three aces and sophomore Isabella Brown (New York, N.Y./Great Neck North) contributed 10 digs. Rodriguez Fuentes produced a match-high four aces to go with two kills and three blocks (2 solo, 1 assist).
STAC was led by Bianca Bilc who had a team-high five kills.
Mercy hit .402 with 43 kills, 48 digs, eight aces and six blocks. STAC hit -.011 with 16 kills, 30 digs, zero aces and six blocks.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, October 15th when they play at Queens at 7 p.m.
