Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

BIG RAPIDS, Mich.- The Mercyhurst volleyball team won in five games at #14 Ferris State Friday at the Ferris State Invitational. The Lakers dropped a 3-0 decision to Northern Michigan in the 2012 season opener before answering with one of the program's biggest wins since joining the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in 2008.
 
Coach Ryan Patton's squad beat the Bulldogs 25-22, 25-19, 20-25, 10-25, 15-7.
 
In the decisive fifth game against Ferris, the Lakers jumped out to a 4-0 edge. Two kills by Becky Smith fueled the run. Kiera Rebert followed with two kills of her own and then Veronica Crosby recorded a point to make it 7-2 Mercyhurst. Becky Leusch had an attack error, but came back with a kill on the next point to give the visitors an 8-4 advantage. Another Leusch kill, an Elyse Texido ace, and an Amanda Balasko kill made it an 11-5 score. The teams traded kills to keep the Lakers up six points. Nicole Texido hit Sarah Vick for a kill to put Mercyhurst on the brink. Balasko closed out the night with an ace to secure the victory.
 
The Lakers played outstanding volleyball in the first two games. After falling behind 15-8, they crawled back, as kills by Rebert and Crosby made it a five-point game. Leusch and Balasko each posted kills and then the Bulldogs helped with several attack errors. Nicole Texido came through with an ace to even the score at 18. A Ferris attack error and a Smith kill put the Lakers up 20-18. Balasko made two attack errors, but atoned with an ace to make it 22-20. The teams traded service errors before Vick finished the game with two kills and a three-point win.
 
The teams went back and forth early in the second game before Mercyhurst took over. Kills by Crosby, Vick, and Leusch made it 7-5. Crosby then set up Balasko for a kill and then Rebert assisted on two more Balasko points to give the Lakers a 12-6 advantage. Nicole Texido hit an ace followed by another Balasko kill for a nine-point lead.
 
Smith made an impact after that, recording a kill and an ace for a 20-12 Laker advantage. Two Vick kills were followed by a Leusch point to make it 23-18. After a Ferris kill, Rebert found Leusch for the kill on game point to make it 2-0 Mercyhurst.
 
The Bulldogs pulled away for a tense game three victory before rolling to tie the match in game four.
 
On the night, Rebert dished out a career-high 41 assists and Elyse Texido collected 35 digs. The assist total is the most by a Laker setter since Julia Butler had 44 at Indiana (Pa.) in the 2009 season. Texido's dig number is also a career-high and is the most by a Mercyhurst libero since Cara Nelson had 37 against Gannon in 2004.
 
Vick had 13 kills, while Smith added 11. Leusch and Balasko each had nine kills. As a unit, the Lakers hit .109 and Ferris had a .192 percentage. Anne Sutton paced the Bulldogs with 12 kills.
 
In the first match of the day, Mercyhurst went down 25-12, 25-17, 28-26. In the first set, Northern jumped out to a 4-1 edge and eventually went up 12-5. The Wildcats took control from there on their way to a 13-point win.
 
Mercyhurst started out well in the second set, as Leusch and Crosby recorded early kills to give the Lakers a 3-0 lead. Kills by Leusch, Balasko, and Smith made it 8-6. However, Northern answered with a 6-0 run to take the advantage. A Balasko kill got Mercyhurst within 17-14, but NMU responded by scoring five straight points.
 
The third set was the Lakers' strongest. Nicole Texido started things off with an ace and then three Wildcat attack errors made it 4-1. Vick's kill and a Camille Alvarez ace put Mercyhurst ahead 9-4. Another series of Northern attack errors gave the Lakers a 15-7 lead. NMU went on a 7-0 spurt to get back into the set.
 
With the game even at 21, Leusch came through with a kill off a Rebert assist. The teams traded points until Sarah Hamilton put Northern up for good with a kill.
 
In the match, Leusch and Vick led with six kills, while Crosby added five. Crosby hit .429 for the contest. Rebert paced the Lakers with 19 assists, while Elyse Texido had 10 digs. As a team, Northern hit .200, while Mercyhurst compiled a .030 hitting percentage.
 
The Lakers (1-1) return to the court tomorrow, taking on Glenville State at 11 a.m. and Northwood at 4 p.m.