Sept. 13, 2005

Stats

Erie, Pa. - Mercyhurst opened Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play and a six-match conference home stand with a 3-1 victory over Gannon before nearly 250 fans at the Athletic Center. The win stretched the Lakers' winning streak to four and improved their overall record to 11-1, equaling their best start since 1993. The Lady Knights dropped their third straight match, all on the road, and saw their overall mark drop to 5-6. The match was also Gannon's conference-opener.

Gannon made short work of the Lakers in the opening game, jumping out to an early lead and eventually prevailing 30-17. But first-year head coach Ryan Patton calmed his team down and the Lakers responded with 30-23 and 30-22 wins in games two and three, setting the stage for the decisive fourth game.

Gannon would not go quietly and opened a 20-12 lead before, once again, the Lakers rallied. Christine Nisbet registered three service aces down the stretch and Jenna Matson closed the match with the Lakers' 15th service ace of the night.

The Lakers will rest until Thursday when they start a stretch of three conference matches in three days, welcoming Michigan's Upper Peninsula teams Northern Michigan, Michigan Tech, and Lake Superior State respectively.