DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by a match-high 11 kills from junior Stasa Stamenkovic (Bor, Serbia/Barton CC) and a match-high 25 assists and nine digs from senior Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College), the Mercy University Women's Volleyball Team earned a 3-0 (25-15, 25-22, 25-17) win over ECC foe Roberts Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon at the Judge Athletic Center.
The Mavericks (18-1, 7-0 ECC) have won 10 matches in a row and start 7-0 in ECC play for the second straight year. Mercy has now beaten the Redhawks (3-17, 1-6 ECC) for the fourth straight time.
Roberts Wesleyan scored the first three points of the opening set and held a 4-2 lead before Mercy scored six points in a row to take an 8-4 lead. Kills from Stamenkovic and junior Aleksandra Lucic (Belgrade, Serbia/Florida SouthWestern State College/AIC) and an ace from junior Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy) later gave Mercy a 21-9 lead. A Dilena kill later gave the Mavericks the opening set, 25-15.
The Redhawks opened set two with a 9-5 lead before the Mavericks rallied with a 6-1 run to take an 11-10 lead after a Dilena kill. Roberts Wesleyan scored the next two points to take a 12-11 lead before Mercy went on a 9-2 run to take a 20-14 lead after a Lucic kill. The Redhawks battled back and cut the Mavericks' lead to two, 24-22, before a junior Devin Brunk (Clarkston, Mich./Frostburg State University) kill gave Mercy a 25-22 set-two win.
The Redhawks built an 8-6 lead in set three before Mercy ensued with a 10-3 run to take a 16-11 lead after a Rivera Rodriguez ace. The visitors scored the next four points to make it 16-15. Mercy later took a 19-16 lead after a senior Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) kill before a Camryn Karelus kill made it 19-17. The Mavericks ended the set with six straight points, earning the 25-17 set-three win and the sweep.
Mercy was led by Stamenkovic who had a match-high 11 kills on .458 hitting with seven digs. Lucic added 10 kills, six digs and three aces and Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 25 assists with a match-high-tying nine digs. Brunk and Dilena both contributed five kills and sophomore Kamila Colon (Caguas, Puerto Rico/Colegio Catolico Notre Dame) had a match-high-tying nine digs. Illes-Hair and senior Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) both had four kills.
Roberts Wesleyan was led by Rachel Dixon who had a team-high eight kills.
Mercy hit .345 with 41 kills, 40 digs, six aces and five blocks. Roberts Wesleyan hit .080 with 24 kills, 31 digs, 10 aces and three blocks.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host D'Youville at 12 p.m.
