DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by a career-high 55 assists from sophomore Ella Buonauro (Simi Valley, Calif./Royal) in her first collegiate start and double-doubles from juniors Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy) and Aleksandra Lucic (Belgrade, Serbia/Florida SouthWestern State College/AIC), the Mercy University Women's Volleyball Team earned a 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 26-24, 23-25, 15-9) win over ECC foe Daemen University on Sunday afternoon at the Judge Athletic Center.
The Mavericks (12-1, 2-0 ECC) have won four matches in a row and defeat the Wildcats (9-7, 1-1 ECC) for the fourth straight time.
Daemen took a 5-0 lead in set one and later held a 22-14 lead. A kill from Lucic and an ace from junior Stasa Stamenkovic (Bor, Serbia/Barton CC) made it 22-16 before back-to-back Wildcat points made it 24-16. Mercy battled back with five straight points to make it 24-21, aided by two junior Devin Brunk (Clarkston, Mich./Frostburg State University) kills. A Maverick service error gave Daemen a 25-21 set-one win.
The Wildcats held a 3-2 lead in set two before Mercy went on a 10-1 run to take a 12-4 lead after a Dilena kill. The Mavericks later held a 19-11 lead after a senior Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) kill and led 23-17 after a Daemen service error. The Wildcats went on a 4-1 run to make it 24-21 before a senior Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) kill gave Mercy a 25-21 set-two win.
The Mavericks jumped out to a 6-1 lead in set three after a Rodriguez Fuentes block. Mercy later extended the lead to 12-6 after a Dilena and Illes-Hair block. The Mavericks took a 16-13 lead after a Rodriguez Fuentes kill and later held a 19-17 lead. Daemen scored five of the next six points to take a 22-20 lead. The Wildcats later held a 24-23 lead with set point before back-to-back kills from Rodriguez Fuentes gave Mercy a 25-24 lead. A Lucic ace gave the Mavericks a 26-24 set-three win.
Mercy built a 4-3 lead in set four after a Lucic kill before Daemen went on a 10-2 run to take a 13-6 lead. The Mavericks rallied with a 13-6 run to tie the set at 19-19. The Wildcats responded with four of the next five points to take a 23-20 lead. Mercy followed with a 3-1 spurt, capped off by a Dilena ace, to cut the Wildcats' lead to one, 24-23. However, a Mercy attack error gave Daemen the 25-23 set-four win, tying the match at 2-2.
The Mavericks scored the first two points of the fifth set and later held a 3-1 lead after an Illes-Hair kill. The Wildcats stormed back on a 6-3 run to take a 7-6 lead after an Audrey Johnson kill. Mercy came back on an 8-1 run, finished off by a Lucic kill, to take a 14-8 lead. A Johnson kill made it 14-9 before a Dilena kill gave the Mavericks the 15-9 set-five win and the win in five sets.
Mercy was led by Buonauro who had a career-high 55 assists and five digs in her first collegiate start. Dilena had a double-double with a match-high 20 kills to go with 15 digs and Lucic also had a double-double with 14 kills and a match-high 17 digs. Illes-Hair added 11 kills, and eight block assists and Rodriguez Fuentes contributed 10 kills, two block solos and one block assist. Stamenkovic had seven kills and 11 digs and sophomore Isabella Brown (New York, N.Y./Great Neck North) had a season-high 11 digs.
Daemen was led by Johnson who had a team-high 14 kills.
Mercy hit .269 with 66 kills, 64 digs, nine aces and 11 blocks. Daemen hit .151 with 43 kills, 59 digs, 11 aces and seven blocks.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, October 7th when they play at Caldwell at 7 p.m.
