DOBBS FERRY, N.Y.- Powered by a match-high 23 kills from junior Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy), a match-high 42 assists from senior Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College) and a match-high 13 digs from sophomore Isabella Brown (New York, N.Y./Great Neck North), the Mercy University Women's Volleyball Team earned a 3-2 (25-19, 25-14, 12-25, 20-25, 15-13) win over ECC foe Molloy University on Friday night at the Judge Athletic Center in their Breast Cancer Awareness Game.
The Mavericks (21-1, 9-0 ECC) have won 13 matches in a row and defeat the Lions (10-13, 5-4 ECC) for the sixth straight time.
Molloy took a 5-1 lead in set one before Mercy went on a 6-1 run to take a 7-6 lead after a junior Aleksandra Lucic (Belgrade, Serbia/Florida SouthWestern State College) kill. The Lions rallied with a 4-1 run to take a 10-8 lead before the Mavericks went on a 6-2 spurt to take a 14-12 lead after a senior Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) kill. Molloy later tied the set at 16-16 before Mercy scored five points in a row to take a 21-16 lead after a Dilena kill. The Lions later cut the Mavericks' lead to three, 22-19, before two kills from Dilena and a Molloy attack error gave Mercy the 25-19 set-one win.
The Lions took a 6-5 lead in set two before the Mavericks stormed back on a 12-2 run to take a 17-8 lead. A kill from Dilena and an ace from Rivera Rodriguez to close out the set gave Mercy a 25-14 set-two win.
Molloy held a 10-9 lead in set three before going on an 11-1 run to take a 21-10 lead. A Lucic kill made it 21-11. However, the Lions scored four of the final five points of the set to take the third set, 25-12.
The Mavericks built a 6-3 lead in set four and later led 8-6 after a Dilena kill. Molloy scored the next seven points to take a 13-8 lead. An Illes-Hair block later cut the Lions' lead to 16-14, but Molloy followed with a 7-3 run to take a 23-17 lead and held on for the 25-20 set-four win, tying the match at 2-2.
The final set was tied at 2-2 before Mercy scored four points in a row to take a 6-2 lead after a senior Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) block. A Rodriguez Fuentes kill later made it 7-3. The Lions scored eight points in a row to take an 11-7 lead. Mercy rallied with a 5-1 run to tie the set at 12-12 after a Dilena kill. A Haven Trechter kill gave Molloy a 13-12 lead before a Lions service error, a Dilena kill and a Dilena and Illes-Hair block gave the Mavericks the 15-12 win and the match in five sets.
Mercy was led by Dilena who had a match-high 23 kills on .425 hitting with five digs. Rivera Rodriguez added a match-high 42 assists to go with six digs, and two kills and Brown had a match-high 13 digs. Junior Stasa Stamenkovic (Bor, Serbia/Barton CC) had 11 kills and Lucic contributed eight kills and 11 digs. Illes-Hair had four kills, and two blocks and Rodriguez Fuentes had seven kills and five blocks.
Molloy was led by Kailie Girard who had a team-high 13 kills.
Mercy hit .299 with 55 kills, 39 digs, five aces and seven blocks. Molloy hit .248 with 55 kills, 36 digs, 12 aces and eight blocks.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, November 1st when they host STAC for Senior Day at 12 p.m.
