BIG RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Mercyhurst volleyball team split during Saturday's action at the Ferris State Invitational, defeating Lake Superior State, 3-0, before dropping a 3-0 decision to Upper Iowa.

The Lakers (1-3) will return to competition on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference/Mountain East Conference Crossover.

Mercyhurst 3, Lake Superior State 0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-18)
Katie Baird smashed 12 kills and Claire Kenny compiled 19 assists and 10 digs as the Lakers earned their first win of 2018.

Madison Kasper added seven kills and Zoe Gadomski came through with 12 digs. Alyssa Kling put down five total blocks.

Trailing 11-9 in the opening set, Mercyhurst finished out the frame by outscoring LSSU, 14-5. The decisive stretch included a 6-0 run in which Tess Ganish had two kills and Kenny made three assists.

Later in the first, the Lakers opened up a 17-14 lead and finished the set with eight straight points. Ganich served for the final seven points while Kling recorded three total blocks.

Mercyhurst opened the second with a 5-0 run and led the rest of the way. Then, a 7-0 streak gave the Lakers the lead for good in the third. Gadomski hammerd three aces, Baird had three kills and Kenny made three assists during the run.

Kelly Walter had five kills and Halle Grulke made 15 assists for Lake Superior.

Upper Iowa 3, Mercyhurst 0 (25-13, 25-23, 25-11)
Tess Ganich and Katie Baird had nine and seven kills, respectively. Lauren Kenny totaled 15 assists and seven digs.

Upper Iowa had the upper hand through most of the three sets. Mercyhurst made a late push in the second set, using a 5-0 run to knot the set at 21-21, but UIU retook the lead and pulled away after that before finishing out the match in the third.

Haley Weepie had 12 kills and Malissa LeClaire totaled 35 assists for Upper Iowa.