Box Score

ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst volleyball team fell, 3-2, to Clarion in a five-game thriller Friday night. The Golden Eagles won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division match by scores of 21-25, 30-32, 25-17, 25-15, and 17-15 at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
 
The Lakers came out on fire, winning the first two games of the night. In the opening frame, the teams traded points early before Mercyhurst gained the upper hand. Rachel Crittle had a kill and an ace and then Sarah Wegrzyn scored to make it 14-11. A trio of Lexi Stefanov kills followed, putting the hosts ahead, 18-13. Crittle and Stefanov each had late kills to seal the set for the Lakers.
 
The second game was an epic back-and-forth battle between two teams playing at a high level. Clarion got out to a 4-1 advantage, but the home team rallied. The set featured 18 ties and seven lead changes as neither team led by more than two after the early going. Kelsi Romatowski's point made it 23-22 Mercyhurst. After a pair of Eagle points, Tai Lattimore found Stefanov for a kill to even the score.
 
Carlie Bieranowski and Stefanov traded kills as the frame continued to a 26-all draw. Crittle and Wegrzyn kept the Lakers in it, and then Camille Alvarez followed with a kill to tie the game at 29. Clarion answered with a kill, but a Stefanov point, an Eagle error, and an Alvarez kill finally capped the frame with the Lakers taking a 32-30 victory.  
 
The visitors rallied with wins in the next two games, setting up a decisive fifth frame. Clarion held a slim edge early before going up, 10-6 on a Laura Subject ace. Mercyhurst responded with a Sarah Vick kill and Stefanov-Wegrzyn block to get back in it. After a Clarion timeout, Alvarez landed an ace to pull within a point. Two Eagle scores made it 12-9, but Vick came back with a kill. A Clarion attack error forced a timeout. Subject assisted on a Hannah Heeter kill for a 13-11 advantage.
 
Vick's kill got the Lakers within one and then Clarion made consecutive attack errors, giving the hosts a 14-13 lead. Subject assisted on a kill to tie it, but Crittle answered with a point and a 15-14 edge. The Eagles won the final three points to escape with a dramatic win.
 
Stefanov finished with 20 points (16 kills, two block solos, four block assists). Crittle added 15.5 points (11 kills, two aces, five block assists) and Wegrzyn had 10 (nine kills, two block assists). Kelly Vitt dished out 29 assists and Lattimore had 22 helpers. Nicole Texido led with 17 digs. Subject posted 69 assists for Clarion.
 
The Lakers dropped to 12-6 overall and 6-2 in the PSAC. Clarion improved to 17-1 overall and 7-1 in the league. Mercyhurst hosts IUP in another PSAC match on Saturday. The contest is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start at the MAC.