ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst volleyball team tested rival Gannon, but came up short in a four-game match Tuesday. The Lakers fell by scores of 27-25, 26-24, 18-25, and 25-22 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division contest at the Hammermill Center.

In the first game, the Lakers trailed early before rallying to push the home team. Down 14-9 midway through the set, Tai Lattimore sparked a run. With the senior serving, Rachel Crittle scored and then Sarah Wegrzyn recorded consecutive kills. After a Gannon error, Lattimore served an ace, putting Mercyhurst ahead, 16-14. The Lady Knights eventually took a 24-22 advantage, but a Sarah Puckett ace cut the deficit in half. Wegrzyn followed with a kill after a long rally, tying the game. GU came away with the final two points of the frame and went ahead, 1-0, in the match.

Crittle and Camille Alvarez combined to push the Lakers in the second set, compiling three points each in a 7-2 Mercyhurst spurt midway through the game. A Crittle kill and ace gave Mercyhurst a 17-13 lead. The home team rallied, but Lexi Stefanov scored twice to hold them off. Three Crittle kills kept the Lakers up, but Gannon took the last three points to take a 2-0 match advantage.

Mercyhurst started out strong in the third game, taking an 11-6 lead after a pair of Lattimore aces. Following a GU run, Stefanov and Alvarez teamed up for a block and then Kelly Vitt found Lauren Kenny for a kill to even the score at 17. Gannon scored the next point, but Alvarez's desperation pass found the floor on the Lady Knights' side to tie the game again. The Lakers grabbed the momentum and scored the final six points from there. Two Kenny kills and an Erin Byrnes point pushed the match into a fourth game.

Gannon took a 24-17 lead in the fourth, but Mercyhurst refused to give up. Vitt assisted on kills by Alvarez and Stefanov, forcing a Gannon timeout. Stefanov scored again and then posted a block to pull with three points. A Knight error brought on another GU timeout, but the hosts finally scored to end the match in four.

Crittle led the Lakers with 19.5 points. Stefanov was next with 14.5 and Wegrzyn recorded 10 points. Alvarez and Kenny each tallied nine kills. Vitt compiled 53 assists and 15 digs. Samantha Giardina registered 23 digs. 

Mercyhurst is now 16-10 overall and 11-7 in the conference. GU improved to 23-2 overall and 16-2 in the PSAC. The Lakers host Clarion on Friday, October 31. The PSAC West match is set for a 7:05 p.m. start at the MAC.