DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The Pace University volleyball team suffered a season opening defeat at the hands of Mercy University, 3-0, Thursday afternoon.

Pace will return to the court on Saturday when they visit Sparkill, N.Y. for a match with Saint Thomas Aquinas College at 4 p.m.

Set one was competitive affair, with the two team trading points and neither able to get a foothold in the set until a kill by Janneliz Rodriguez Fuentes jump started a 7-1 run for Mercy to take a 14-9 lead until a Brielle Jones (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Palm Beach Gardens) kill stopped the run. Pace was able to get the set score within three points but was unable to get closer as Mercy took the opening set 25-19.

In the second set, Pace won three of the first four points, but the Mavericks managed to tie the set up at 6-6. Mercy attempted to pull away, but Pace hung around keeping the set a closely contested affair Mercy created some distance with a 6-2 run to make the score 18-13 and closed the set with a final score of 25-19.

Set three saw Mercy hop out to an early lead and never relinquish it while never letting the Setters get close, winning the final set 25-14.

Jones led Pace in kills with seven as well as serving up 16 assists alongside Yasmeen Muhammad (Shoreline, Wa/Lakeside School), who also had 16 assists of her own.