By: Valentina Toro
Managing Editor
By: Lily Rand
Photo Editor
The university Women’s Volleyball team fell to Mercy University in three sets on Sept. 15, at Pelz Gymnasium.
Mercy entered the match undefeated and won 25-15, 25-17 and 25-14. The loss moved the Owls to 7-3 overall, while Mercy improved to 8-0.
“I thought we were scrappy defensively,” Head Coach Lisa Barbaro, said. “Mercy’s a very good team. They’re undefeated coming into the season. They have a lot of offensive weapons.”
The team finished with 24 kills compared with Mercy’s 46. The Owls recorded seven service aces and six blocks, but Mercy’s offense finished the match with a .324 hitting percentage.
Barbaro said she was pleased with her team’s defensive competitiveness, an area the Owls had been emphasizing in practice.
The university kept plays alive defensively but struggled to turn those opportunities into points.
“We’ve really been trying to focus in on that — make an effort, go for every ball,” Barbaro said. “I think they did that. I think we kept a lot of balls off the floor. We just didn’t execute by putting balls away.”
The volleyball team had its best offensive performance in the second set, recording nine kills and a .162 hitting percentage.
The Owls remained within four points of Mercy at 18-14 before the Mavericks pulled away to take the set 25-17.
Setter Kimi Mitchell, a sophomore, finished with a team-high 18 assists while adding eight digs and two service aces. Mitchell said the Owls needed to respond better when Mercy increased the pressure.
“It’s a game of mistakes, and the fewer mistakes you make, the better the outcome is going to be,” Mitchell said. “I think we just have to focus on what to do in the next moment and how to score.”
Barbaro adjusted the team’s lineup during the match, moving to a 6-2 formation after the Owls struggled to involve their middle hitters.
The change was designed to give them another attacking option and keep three hitters available in the front row.
Mercy continued to control the attack in the third set, recording 15 kills with only two attacking errors. The Mavericks hit .394 in the final set compared with the Owls .030.
Defensively, liberos Sarah Henault, a senior, and Alyssa Ferreira, a sophomore, led with nine digs each.
Right side Hitter Sydney Bennett, a graduate, and middle blocker Sarah Stark, a senior, each contributed three total blocks.
Outside hitter Kerrigan Habing, a senior, led the Owls offensively with six kills and two service aces.
Bennett said the team knew Mercy would present a challenge but entered the match focused on competing with confidence.
“Just come out strong and realize they are a good team, but so are we,” Bennett said. “Just come out confident and play hard and play for every moment.”
Despite the loss, Bennett said the Owls can use the performance as an opportunity to improve as they continue through the season.
“We work really hard every day, and sometimes it’s not always translating on game day, but we learn from it, and we move on,” Bennett said.
