BUFFALO, N.Y. — D'Youville edged Mercy University in a dramatic five-set match on Saturday at Saints Center Gym, winning 25-23, 25-17, 22-25, 18-25, 15-8 giving Mercy their first conference lost of the year. D'Youville's potent serving was a highlight, as the team delivered 14 aces. Mercy managed to push the match to a decisive fifth set, but D'Youville's defense held strong, recording 62 digs to secure the victory.
D'Youville opened the first set with a competitive back-and-forth against Mercy. After falling behind early, they capitalized on Mercy's errors and service aces by
Cameron Ulinski and
Giselle Ramirez to stay in contention. A significant turning point came as D'Youville turned a 19-19 tie into a 23-21 lead, powered by kills from Ulinski and
Madeline O'Brien. Despite Mercy's efforts to close the gap, D'Youville secured the set with a final kill from O'Brien, ending the first set at 25-23.
In the second set, the Saints asserted control with a decisive run midway through. Ulinski contributed crucial kills, capitalizing on assists from Alina Bertens Deckart, while
Madison Bradshaw and
Gabrielle Dials bolstered the team's momentum with consistent offensive plays.
Angelyn Jaramillo's service aces further extended the Saints' lead, creating a significant scoring separation. Despite Mercy's attempts to close the gap, D'Youville maintained their advantage, concluding the set with a 25-17 victory.
D'Youville initiated the third set with a strong performance, taking advantage of a service error by Mercy to establish an early 8-3 lead. Key contributions came from Ulinski and O'Brien, who both secured timely kills. However, Mercy responded with a decisive run, capitalizing on multiple attack errors by the Saints to flip the momentum and move ahead 16-9. Despite trailing, D'Youville rallied late, narrowing the gap to 20-20, with Dials and Ulinski leading the charge offensively. In a tightly contested finish, Mercy managed to hold off D'Youville's comeback attempt, ultimately winning the set 25-22.
D'Youville started the fourth set with momentum, securing early points with a kill by Ulinski and a service ace from Jaramillo, briefly holding a lead at 4-3. However, Mercy responded and surged ahead, capitalizing on a series of errors from the Saints to widen the gap to 21-10. Despite a late push by D'Youville, including kills from O'Brien and a service ace by Bradshaw, the rally was insufficient. Mercy closed the set 25-18.
In the deciding set, the Saints surged ahead with a series of powerful plays. Ulinski initiated the momentum with an early kill assisted by Bertens Deckart, contributing significantly to D'Youville's lead. Jaramillo's service ace and subsequent plays, including a key kill by Ramirez, extended their advantage to 8-3. Dials added to the score with a crucial block, further widening the gap. Mercy attempted to claw back with a kill by Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes, but D'Youville's offense remained relentless. O'Brien and Ulinski each added kills, maintaining the home team's control. Despite Mercy's efforts, D'Youville closed the set with Ulinski's decisive kill, securing the victory at 15-8.
The Saints push a step closer to making the ECC playoffs with a win against the top seeded Mercy. The Saints will look to continue their momentum on Sunday, Nov. 9th, at 11:00 A.M., looking to earn revenge win against St. Thomas Aquinas as the Saints will recognize their seniors for their Senior Day.
