Geoff Schneider

Women's Volleyball

Dilena, Rivera Rodriguez and Cruz Lead No. 3 Mercy to 3-2 Win over No. 2 Queens in ECC Women's Volleyball Championship Semifinal

Recap courtesy of Mercy University Sports Information

AMHERST, NY – Powered by a match-high 23 kills from freshman Grace Dilena (New York, N.Y./Liberty University Online Academy), a match-high 47 assists from sophomore Adriana Rivera Rodriguez (Humacao, Puerto Rico/American International College) and a match-high-tying 16 digs from senior Aitza Cruz (Vega Alta, Puerto Rico/Polk State College), the No. 3 seeded Mercy University volleyball team earned a 3-2 (30-28, 22-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-11) win over No. 2 seeded Queens College in an ECC Women's Volleyball Championship Semifinal on Friday night at Lumsden Gymnasium.

Box Score

The Mavericks (16-9) defeat the Knights (19-11) for the third time this season and advance to the Final for the first time since 2005. Mercy will play in the Final tomorrow against No. 4 seed D'Youville at Daemen at 5 p.m. Mercy surpasses their win total from last year and now has their most wins in a season since 2005. The Mavericks will look to win their first ECC Championship since 2001.

Mercy was led by Dilena who had a career-high-tying 23 kills with nine digs and two aces. Rivera Rodriguez had a match-high 47 assists with seven digs and Cruz had a match-high-tying 16 digs with three aces. Junior Gabriela Bieniek (Rzeszow, Poland/Indian Hills CC) had 14 kills and nine digs and sophomore Mia Illes-Hair (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) had 10 kills. Graduate student Julia Pomerleau (Portland, Maine/University of Southern Maine) recorded six kills and senior Sydney Whitfield (Clemson, S.C./D.W Daniel) had eight digs. Sophomore Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes (Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico/Academia Cristo Rey) added three kills and six blocks.

Queens was led by Madi Hathaway who had a team-high 16 kills with 21 assists and eight digs.

Mercy jumped out to an 8-4 lead in set one after an Illes-Hair kill. Queens stormed back on a 7-2 run to take an 11-10 lead. The Mavericks scored the next three points to take a 13-11 lead after a Rivera Rodriguez ace. The Knights battled back and tied the set at 16-16 before back-to-back Dilena kills gave Mercy an 18-16 lead. Queens followed with a 4-1 run to take a 20-19 lead before two straight Mercy points made it 21-20. The Knights scored the next point to tie the set at 21-21 before a Pomerleau kill gave the Mavericks a 22-21 lead. The teams traded points later in the set, giving Mercy a 25-24 lead after a Bieniek kill. Queens ensued with a mini 3-1 spurt to take a 27-26 lead, serving for set point. The Mavericks closed the set on a 4-1 run to take the opening set, 30-28, after a Dilena ace.

Mercy held a 5-4 lead in set two before Queens scored three straight points to take a 7-5 lead. The Knights went on an 8-3 run to take a 13-10 lead. Queens later held an 18-15 lead before a Rodriguez Fuentes kill made it 18-16. Back-to-back Knight points gave Queens a 20-16 lead. The Mavericks later cut the deficit to two, 24-22, but a Jonaida Donowa kill gave Queens the set, 25-22.

The Mavericks built a 6-2 lead in set three after a Dilena ace. The Knights later cut the Mercy lead to two, 8-6, before the Mavericks scored seven straight points to take a 15-6 lead after a Dilena block. Queens battled back and went on a 12-5 run to get within two, 20-18. However, Mercy closed the set with five straight points to take the set 25-18 after a Bieniek ace.

Mercy held an 18-13 lead in set four after a Rivera Rodriguez kill. Queens followed with a 6-1 run to tie the set at 19-19. The Mavericks scored three of the next five points to retake the lead at 22-21 after a Pomerleau block. The Knights scored the final four points of the set to take the set 25-22, tying the match at 2-2.

Queens took a 3-1 lead in set five before the Mavericks tallied seven unanswered points to take an 8-3 lead after a Rodriguez Fuentes and Illes-Hair block. The Knights later cut Mercy's lead to three, 10-7, but three consecutive Maverick points made it 13-7. Queens recorded four of the next five points to make it 14-11 before a Knights service error gave Mercy the set, 15-11, and the match in five sets.

Mercy hit .196 with 59 kills, 61 digs, 11 blocks and 13 aces. Queens hit .175 with 57 kills, 56 digs, 12 blocks and 11 aces.

Head Coach Ana Todorovic and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they face D'Youville in the ECC Championship Final at 5 p.m. at Daemen.