ERIE, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Pittsburgh-Johnstown in PSAC action on Saturday at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. The Lakers lost by set scores of 29-27, 24-26, 29-27, 25-22.

Katie Baird led the Lakers (9-17, 4-9) with 20 kills while Shelby Chesko and Alyssa Zirnheld finished with 15 and 12 kills, respectively. Claire Kenny dished 30 assists and Mary Marusza totaled 27 helpers.

Hannah Vuylsteke totaled 22 digs on the defensive side.

UPJ (14-11, 8-5) was led by Maura Brehl, who had 22 kills, and J.C. Longeville, who made 56 assists.

The visiting Mountain Cats took a 1-0 lead with a first-set win. Mercyhurst escaped set-point four different times before UPJ finally clinched with its 29th point.

In the second, the Lakers were down 5-1 before climbing back. Late in the match, MU faced a 24-22 deficit before scoring four straight points. Baird had two kills and Marusza made four assists during the late run.

Both teams held set-point in the third -- UPJ twice and MU once -- before the Cats got there a third time before clinching the match. In the fourth, UPJ broke a 20-20 tie with a 5-2 stretch to finish the match.

Mercyhurst will head out on the road for its next five matches, starting with a 7 p.m contest at Bloomsburg on Friday.