NEW HAVEN, Conn. – 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), the Mercy University Women's Volleyball Team earned a 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-14) win at Southern Connecticut State University on Tuesday night at Pelz Gym.
The Mavericks (8-0) start 8-0 for the first time since 2001 and defeat the Owls (7-3) for the fifth straight year.
Mercy took a 2-0 lead in set one after blocks from senior Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) and junior Aleksandra Lucic (Belgrade, Serbia/Florida SouthWestern State College/AIC). The Owls went on a 6-3 run to take a 6-5 lead before the Mavericks scored the next six points to take an 11-6 lead. Southern Connecticut later cut the Mercy lead to two, 12-10, before the Mavericks rallied with an 8-1 run to take a 20-11 lead. Kills from Lucic, junior Stasa Stamenkovic (Bor, Serbia/Barton CC) and an ace from Lucic later gave Mercy a 24-13 lead. The Owls scored the next two points to make it 24-15 before a Southern Connecticut service error gave the Mavericks a 25-15 set-one win.
The Owls built a 6-5 lead in set two before Mercy went on a 12-2 run to take a 17-8 lead after back-to-back kills from Dilena. Southern Connecticut later trimmed the Mavericks' lead to four, 20-16, but Mercy closed the set on a 5-1 run, capped off by an Illes-Hair kill, to give the Mavericks a 25-17 win in set two.
The third set was tied at 11-11 before Mercy scored the next five points to take a 16-11 lead after three straight aces by Dilena. The score was later 18-13 in favor of Mercy before the Mavericks closed the set on a 7-1 run, finished off by a Dilena kill, giving Mercy the 25-14 set-three win and the sweep.
Mercy was led by Dilena who recorded a double-double with a match-high 16 kills to go with 11 digs and a match-high-tying three aces. Rivera Rodriguez added a double-double with a match-high 40 assists to go with 12 digs and senior Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) contributed 10 kills. Illes-Hair produced eight kills and Lucic added six kills and 13 digs. Stamenkovic added a match-high 14 digs with three kills and two aces and sophomore Kamila Colon (Caguas, Puerto Rico/Colegio Catolico Notre Dame) had 10 digs.
Southern Connecticut was led by Kerrigan Habing who had a team-high six kills.
Mercy hit .324 with 46 kills, 61 digs, seven aces and three blocks. Southern Connecticut hit .071 with 24 kills, 43 digs, seven aces and six blocks.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, September 17th when they host Bentley at 6 p.m.
