CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The Mercyhurst Lakers lost 3-2 to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponent California (Pa.) on Saturday. The Lakers claimed sets two (25-13) and four (25-16) to force a final fifth set but were unable to hold off California from claiming victory. California claimed sets one (25-21), three (25-16) and five (15-9). This loss drops Mercyhurst to a 6-14 overall record while falling to a 1-8 PSAC record.
 
Katie Baird and Tess Ganich led the Lakers offense each posting 12 kills apiece, Baird also notched two aces. Alyssa Kling followed closely behind posting 11 kills. Makayla Mollé and Abby Rose led assists with 28 and 24 respectively, Mollé recorded an ace. Hannah Vuylsteke led the team in digs posting 30 she also had a pair of aces for the game. Leah Kern headed the block category posting two solo-blocks and two block assists.
 
California was led by Lois Van Schaik who recorded 13 kills, Rachel Priore added 12 and Ashely Leto posted 11.
 
The Lakers fell 25-21 in set one, California quickly grabbed a 2-0 lead, which they would extend to 20-16 at its peak. Mercyhurst would knot the action twice during the set, Baird, Kern, and Alyssa Zirnheld all had a kill bringing the trailing Lakers to a 10-10 scoring dead lock. The second time Mercyhurst would tie was on a four point run to knot the action at 20-20. California was able to claim five of the next six points to take set one.
 
The Lakers would respond by storming to a 25-13 victory in the second set. The closest the Vulcans would come to holding the lead is when they knotted the action at 9-9, from this point on Mercyhurst would control the lead. The Lakers went on an eight point streak to earn cement their lead.Mollé served during this run, bringing Mercyhurst up to a commanding 17-9 lead. Zirnheld would serve for the Lakers final three points, to claim set two.
 
California (13-7, 7-2 PSAC) would claim set three 25-16, in which they would jump out to a 4-0 lead to start the set. The Lakers were unable to take the lead through the set the closest they would come is when they trailed 1-4. Mercyhurst went on a three point streak, with back to back aces by Vuylsteke, and a kill from Alyssa Kling cutting the California lead to 17-13. California was able to rally from this point forward holding the Lakers to just three additional points for the set.
 
Mercyhurst would claim set three 25-21, coming back from an 8-1 deficit to force the final set. No team would earn more than a two point advantage over the other until Mercyhurst secured a 10-7 lead which they would hold for the remainder of the set. The Lakers would stretch their lead to as high as 15-10 during the set off of an ace and a kill from Baird, a kill from Shelby Chesko and a pair of attack errors.
 
California claimed the final set 15-9 running out to an early 3-4 lead which they would keep for the remainder of the set. Mercyhurst held the lead once scoring the initial point and led 1-0, the closest they would come to retaking the lead is when they knotted the action at 3-3 in the beginning of the set.  
 
Mercyhurst will return to action tomorrow afternoon against PSAC opponent Seton Hill, at one pm. The contest will be held on the campus of Seton Hill University.