Box Score

ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst volleyball team won, 3-2, over California (Pa.) Friday night. Nicole Texido posted her 1,000^th career dig to lead the Lakers to a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division victory at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
 
The Lakers won by scores of 20-25, 29-27, 25-20, 20-25, and 15-13 over the Vulcans, the top team in this week's NCAA Atlantic Region rankings. Cal took the first game, but Mercyhurst rallied with a dramatic win in the second frame. The teams went back and forth, eventually tying at 24 on a Cal error. Kelly Vitt then found Rachel Crittle for a point.
 
A Laker error kept the set going. Another Vitt-Crittle combination put Mercyhurst back in control, but the Vulcans answered with a tying score. Tai Lattimore assisted on a Sarah Wegrzyn kill for another one-point edge, but Cal evened the score again on a Laker error. Lattimore found Crittle for a kill and then a Cal attack error gave the hosts a 29-27 win.
 
In the third game, the teams were even at 16 before the Lakers took charge. Kills by Sarah Vick, Crittle and Wegrzyn gave Mercyhurst a 20-16 advantage. Cal responded with a pair of points, but kills by Wegrzyn and Lauren Kenny made it 23-18 Lakers. The Vulcans scored twice, but Lattimore found Camille Alvarez for a kill and then Crittle served an ace to put the Lakers ahead, 2-1, in the match.
 
After Cal won the fourth game, the teams settled in for a decisive fifth set. Cal jumped out to a 4-1 lead, but two Wegrzyn kills got the home team back in it. After a Cal error, Kenny scored to make it 7-6 Mercyhurst. The set continued to be close, with the score even at 11 eventually. Another Wegrzyn kill gave the Lakers the edge, but the Vulcans scored to tie it. Vick and Cal's Mary Lavery traded points to make it 13-11. After a Cal error, Lattimore found Crittle for the match-ending kill.
 
Wegrzyn led with a career-high 20 kills, while Crittle added 11. Vitt and Lattimore combined for 52 assists, while Texido recorded 23 digs, including her 1,000^th career dig in the fifth game. Alvarez added 19 digs and Wegrzyn had 18.
 
Texido is the ninth Laker with 1,000 career digs in program history.
 
Mercyhurst improved to 17-14 overall and 11-10 in the PSAC. Cal dropped to 26-6 overall and 19-2 in the league. The Lakers host Seton Hill in the home finale tomorrow at 4:30 p.m.