The Misericordia University women's volleyball team held off a John Jay rally to advance to the quarterfinals of the ECAC Championships with a 3-2 win, Wednesday night at the Anderson Center.

Tara Welliver led the Cougars with 19 kills and five aces and two blocks while Jassmine Watson added 13 kills.  Sarah Pool had 10 kills and nine digs and Karley May had 48 assists.

Alexa Monro added four aces and Jessica Oltman had three blocks.

MU fell behind 8-2 in the opener, but three straight kills by Welliver pulled the Cougars to within 13-10.

Pool followed a block by Oltman and Amanda Curcio with a kill to tie the score and a Bloodhounds' attack error gave the Cougars their first lead, 16-15.

Tied 20-20, Welliver's smash down the left side put MU in front for good and Pool followed with ace in the back left corner.

Welliver and May clinched a 25-22 win with a block on the right side.

Two kills by Watson sandwiched an ace by Welliver for a 14-8 lead in the second set.

The Cougars used an 8-1 run with three more kills by Welliver to take a 24-13 lead.

John Jay scored five straight points to break a 12-12 tie in the third set and held off a late MU charge to win, 25-19.

The Cougars led the fourth set, 15-12, but the Bloodhounds rallied to take a 19-16 lead.

Down 22-18, MU scored two straight points, but John Jay answered with three straight to clinch a 25-20 win.

Oltman broke a 12-12 tie with a smash through a middle blocker in the finale.

Following a John Jay attack error, Monro closed out the match with an ace.

The Cougars improved to 26-10 and will face NYU, Saturday at Cabrini.