Box score

OWINGS MILLS, Md. - With a team-high seven kills, Stevenson women's volleyball senior Alex Mercer (Eldersburg/Liberty) surpassed 1,000th career kills, but Mary Washington had 14 total blocks and seven service aces in picking up its second win in as many games against the Mustangs this season, 25-23, 25-20, 25-21 Tuesday at Owings Mills Gymnasium.

The loss was the first in nine games at home this season for Stevenson (20-5, 3-3 CAC) who fell from third to sixth in the CAC standings, one game ahead of Marymount (Va.) for the final spot in the CAC Volleyball Championship.

Meanwhile, the Eagles (17-7, 5-2 CAC) maintained its hold on second place in the conference standings with two CAC games remaining, assuring the team of a home game in the conference tournament.

Mary Washington is responsible for two of Stevenson's five losses this season with the previous one coming at the EMU Hampton Inn & Sleep Inn Invitational on September 3, 20-25, 26-24, 25-20, 25-18.

Due in large part to Eagles defense at the net, the Mustangs totaled 25 attack errors and a .065 hitting percentage, their second-lowest total of the season behind their mark of .050 set in the first meeting with Mary Washington.

With seven kills, Mercer now has 1,002 for her career.

Sophomore Avery Gabbard (Arnold/Broadneck) also had seven kills, but had seven attack errors as she and Mercer, the team's leaders in kills, combined for 11.

Junior Alexa Carney (Towson/Towson) led the team with 15 digs while Gabbard and freshman Samantha Shetterly (Elkridge/Mount de Sales) each had 10. Freshman Jessica Gieselman (Westminster/Winters Mill) and junior Amy Rudolph (North East/Rising Sun) each had seven kills to go along with 19 and nine assists, respectively.

The Eagles took a 14-6 lead in set one before Stevenson rallied to within 23-20 and then 24-23 on three kills from Mercer and one from Gabbard, but Mary Washington escaped following a time out on a kill by Hannah Lawson.

The Eagles never trailed in the second set, using a 17-8 run to take its largest lead of the set at 18-9 before holding off another late Mustang run en route to the five-point victory. Stevenson had 10 attack errors in the second set compared to only nine kills while Mary Washington had six total blocks.

Trailing 2-0, the Mustangs were much more competitive in the third set which featured 11 ties and four lead changes, the last coming at 18-18. Riding the serve of reigning CAC Player of the Week Tola Adebanjo, the Eagles reeled off five consecutive points to take a 23-18 advantage before Karissa Herrick sealed the game with her second kill.

Herrick led Mary Washington with four block assists, one of four Eagles who had at least three total blocks. Lawson, Adebanjo and Laura Gomez each had a game-high eight kills while Lawson added 12 digs and Adebanjo had 10.

Stevenson travels to Salisbury on Thursday for a 7:00 p.m., contest with the Sea Gulls.