AMHERST, N.Y. – Powered by a match-high 19 kills from junior Stasa Stamenkovic (Bor, Serbia/Barton CC) and a double-double from junior Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy), the Mercy University Women's Volleyball Team earned a 3-1 (19-25, 25-18, 26-24, 25-23) win at ECC foe Daemen University on Sunday afternoon at Lumsden Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (17-1, 6-0 ECC) have won nine matches in a row for the first time since 2001 and start 6-0 in ECC play for the second straight year. Mercy continues their best start since 2001 and sweep the season series with the Wildcats (11-9, 3-3 ECC) for the second straight year.
Mercy took a 2-0 lead in set one before Daemen followed with an 11-2 run to take an 11-4 lead. The Wildcats later increased the lead to 21-9 before the Mavericks scored six points in a row to make it 21-15 after a junior Aleksandra Lucic (Belgrade, Serbia/Florida SouthWestern State College/AIC) kill. Mercy later cut the Daemen lead to 24-19 before an Avery Craig kill gave the Wildcats a 25-19 set-one win.
The Mavericks built a 5-4 lead in set two after a Stamenkovic kill. The Wildcats scored three of the next four points to take a 7-6 lead before Mercy scored five unanswered points to retake the lead 11-7 after a senior Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College) ace. Two points in a row by Daemen made it 11-9 before Mercy rallied with an 8-2 run to take a 19-11 lead after a senior Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) kill. The Wildcats later cut the Mavericks' lead to 24-18 before senior Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) finished off the set with a kill, giving Mercy the 25-18 set-two win.
Daemen held a 9-8 lead in set three before Mercy recorded four of the next five points to take a 12-10 lead. The Wildcats scored the next three points to take a 13-12 lead and later held a 16-15 lead. The Mavericks responded with a 5-2 spurt to take a 20-18 lead after an Illes-Hair and Lucic block. A Dilena kill later gave Mercy a 21-19 lead before Daemen scored the next three points to take a 22-21 lead. A Daemen service error and Stamenkovic and Rodriguez Fuentes block gave Mercy a 23-22 advantage. The Wildcats tallied the next two points to take a 24-23 lead and were serving for set point. Stamenkovic closed the set with three straight kills, giving the Mavericks the 26-24 win in set three. The third set featured 20 ties and 13 lead changes.
Mercy took a 5-2 lead in set four before Daemen rallied and later tied the set at 10-10. The Mavericks scored four points in a row to take a 14-10 lead, capped off by two straight kills from Stamenkovic. The Wildcats answered right back with four points of their own to tie the set again at 14-14. Mercy posted three of the next four points to retake the lead at 17-15 after a Stamenkovic ace. The Mavericks later held a 20-19 lead after a Dilena kill before an Amelia Gonzalez kill tied the set at 20-20. Mercy ensued with a 3-1 run to take a 23-21 lead before Daemen scored two points in a row to tie the set at 23-23. A Stamenkovic kill and Dilena and Rodriguez Fuentes block gave Mercy the set 25-23 and the match in four sets.
Mercy was led by Stamenkovic who had a match-high 19 kills. Dilena recorded a double-double with 10 kills and a match-high 12 digs and Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 30 assists with six digs. Illes-Hair had nine kills on .500 hitting with a match-high-tying seven blocks (1 solo, 6 assists) and Lucic added five kills and nine digs. Rodriguez Fuentes added two kills, and four blocks and sophomore Kamila Colon (Caguas, Puerto Rico/Colegio Catolico Notre Dame) contributed eight digs and two aces. Sophomore Isabella Brown (New York, N.Y./Great Neck North) had six digs and junior Devin Brunk (Clarkston, Mich./Frostburg State University) added seven digs. Sophomore Ella Buonauro (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) finished with three assists and one dig.
Daemen was led by Craig who had a team-high 11 kills.
Mercy hit .173 with 46 kills, 55 digs, seven aces and 11 blocks. Daemen hit .134 with 45 kills, 50 digs, 10 aces and 11 blocks.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, October 24th when they host Roberts Wesleyan at 2:30 p.m.
