Box Score ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst volleyball team fell, 3-1, to Edinboro on Friday night. The Lakers dropped the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division opener by scores of 24-26, 27-25, 25-23, and 25-21 at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
 
The match was hard-fought and competitive from start to finish. Edinboro took an early lead in the first game, but the Lakers slowly clawed back. Down 23-20, Kelly Vitt found Lauren Kenny for a kill. A pair of Scot errors tied the set and then Vitt assisted on a Rachel Crittle point to go ahead, 24-23. After a miscue, Vitt hit Erin Byrnes for a kill and then Edinboro erred to allow the hosts to take a 1-0 match advantage.
 
The second frame was similar to the opener, with neither team able to pull away. Neither side scored more than three consecutive points until the Lakers strung together a 4-0 run to take a 22-20 edge. Kenny and Byrnes posted points and after a Scot error, Crittle and Byrnes combined for a key block at the net. Edinboro would rally to take the frame, however.
 
In the third game, neither team scored more than three points in a row for the entirety of the action. Trailing 22-18, the Lakers came back again. Two Crittle kills inched the home team closer and then later, a Byrnes point evened the score at 23. The visitors came away with the next two points, though, and took a 2-1 match edge and eventually grabbed the decision.
 
Crittle paced the Lakers with 16 points on 12 kills, six block assists, and an ace. Byrnes tallied 13 points, including 12 kills. Vitt dished out 43 assists, while Samantha Giardina registered 25 digs.
 
The Lakers dropped to 9-3 overall and 4-1 in the conference. Edinboro moved to 12-2 overall and 5-0 in the league. Mercyhurst resumes West play tomorrow, hosting Slippery Rock at 4:05 p.m.