DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – Powered by a double-double from junior Stasa Stamenkovic (Bor, Serbia/Barton CC) and a match-high 17 kills from junior Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy), the Mercy University Women's Volleyball Team earned a 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-23) win over Adelphi University on Tuesday night at the Judge Athletic Center.
The Mavericks (9-1) bounce back from their first loss of the season and defeat the 2025 NCAA Tournament participant Panthers (8-7) for the first time since 2005.
The first set was tied at 2-2 before Mercy went on an 11-5 run to take a 13-7 lead after a senior Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) kill. An Adelphi kill made it 13-8 before the Mavericks went on a 6-1 run to build a 19-9 lead after a senior Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) kill. Back-to-back Panther points made it 19-11 before Mercy closed the set on a 6-2 run, capped off by a Dilena kill, to take the first set 25-13.
Mercy took a 14-13 lead in set two after an Adelphi service error. The Panthers scored the next four points to take a 17-14 lead. The Mavericks ensued with five straight points to retake the lead at 18-17 after a junior Aleksandra Lucic (Belgrade, Serbia/Florida SouthWestern State College/AIC) block. Adelphi tied the score at 18-18 before Mercy scored four of the next five points to take a 22-19 lead after a Stamenkovic kill. A Maverick service error made it 22-20 before kills from Stamenkovic and Rodriguez Fuentes, gave Mercy a 25-20 set-two win.
Adelphi built a 3-0 lead in set three and later led 4-1 before Mercy scored seven points in a row to take an 8-4 lead after a Rodriguez Fuentes block. The Panthers answered with a 5-1 run to tie the set at 9-9. Mercy later took a 14-12 lead after kills from Dilena and Illes-Hair before Adelphi scored four of the next five points to take a 16-15 lead. The Mavericks rallied with a 5-1 run to take a 20-17 lead after a Dilena kill. The Panthers went on a 5-1 run to take a 22-21 lead and later held a 23-22 lead. Kills from Dilena and Stamenkovic gave the Mavericks a 24-23 lead and a Dilena ace ended the set and match, giving Mercy the 25-23 set-three win and the sweep.
Mercy was led by Stamenkovic who had a double-double with 14 kills and a match-high 10 digs. Dilena recorded a match-high 17 kills to go with seven digs and senior Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College) had a match-high 36 assists to go with nine digs. Illes-Hair added seven kills and four blocks and Lucic produced five kills and seven blocks. Rodriguez Fuentes contributed five kills, and five blocks and sophomore Kamila Colon (Caguas, Puerto Rico/Colegio Catolico Notre Dame) added seven digs.
Adelphi was led by Madeleine Chaapel and Elena Covic who both had a team-high six kills.
Mercy hit .391 with 48 kills, 37 digs, five aces and 11 blocks. Adelphi hit .165 with 28 kills, 26 digs, three aces and four blocks.
Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action on Thursday, September 24th when they play at AIC at 7 p.m.
