RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Felician College sophomore outside hitter Olivia Emerson (Sparks, Nev./Edward C. Reed) led all players with a season-high 20 kills, but the Golden Falcons were defeated, 3-1 (25-14, 22-25, 25-16, 25-14), by visiting Mercy College in non-conference women's volleyball action on Thursday night at Job Gymnasium.

After dropping the first set, Felician (1-5) stormed out to a 10-0 Set 2 lead behind the service of junior Emma Reijonan (Joensuu, Finland/Lyseo Joensuum). The Mavericks staged a ferocious comeback, getting as close as 23-21, before the Golden Falcons closed out the set to even the match at 1-1.

Mercy (4-4) turned a 7-4 Set 3 deficit into an 18-12 advantage, then scored the set's final five points, including a pair of service aces from Nicole Pepe (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow). The Mavericks jumped out to a 16-7 lead in the fourth set, hitting .333 for the set en route to closing out the match.

Mercy junior setter McKenna Ronan (Chandler, Ariz./Seton Catholic) had 46 assists and seven digs and led the visitors to a .247 attack percentage for the night. The Mavericks also served 13 aces as compared to just one for Felician. Junior outside Brenna White (Gardnerville, Nev./Douglas) had 19 kills and 10 digs for Mercy and senior libero Mallorie Hopkins (Commerce, Calif./Pasadena CC) led all players with 24 digs and four aces.

Emerson hit .224 on the night and added nine digs. Junior middle Tonia Ford (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) put down a season-high eight kills for the Golden Falcons, and sophomore libero Patrycja Giemza (Dabrowa Gornicza, Poland/Lodz) paced the defense with 23 digs and five assists.

Felician plays its next four matches on the road, including a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference affair at Philadelphia University on Saturday afternoon.