Women's Volleyball sweeps Mercy to advance in NCAA Regional

WALTHAM, Massachusetts - "Survive and advance" is the phrase associated with the NCAA Tournament, and the American International College women's volleyball team did that, winning two close sets and finishing strong in a 25-22, 30-28, 25-17 sweep of Mercy University in the NCAA East Region Quarterfinal on Thursday, December 5.

AIC improves to 20-6 on the season.

The defenses on both sides struggled as every hit seemed to find the floor; AIC did score seven of eight points to take a 19-15 lead only to have it erased on a five-point run featuring a pair of Gabriela Bieniek aces. AIC's Victoria Soto Burgos landed a key kill to give AIC the lead back, and the Yellow Jackets closed out strong, with Perla Rosa and Alice Di Francesco acing serves to put the set away.

As close as the opening set was, the second made the first appear like a chasm; neither team could build a lead, and a block by the Mavericks tied the set 25-25. The teams traded points through 28-28, with both teams failing to finish set points. Aleksandra Lucic tied the set with a powerful swing, and two points later, it was Soto Burgos finishing again, giving AIC the 2-0 advantage.

Now in command, AIC turned up the heat, and the front line with Lucic and Victoria Mendez piled up blocks and kills, along with a pair of aces by Daniella Russo-Lolas, to give the Yellow Jackets a 10-1 lead. The Mavericks closed the gap somewhat, but never truly were able to close in, as the aces and kills continued to accumulate on the AIC line. Soto Burgos and Chelsea Foulis stuffed a Grace Dilena swing on match point to send AIC to the next day.

The Mavericks hit over .300 in each of the first two sets before being held to -.074 in the finale, while AIC swung .255 as a team for the match. That total was led by Soto Burgos and Lucic, who combined for 19 kills on 29 swings with no errors; Soto Burgos alone had 11 and hit a blistering .733, a career-best mark, while Lucic led AIC with six of the team's blocks. Mendez notched seven kills, 16 assists, six digs, and three blocks, while Di Francesco tossed out 20 helpers. 

AIC will face Georgian Court University, which upended Daemen University in a five-set thriller that went 17-15 in the final frame, on Friday, December 6 at 4:00 p.m.