ERIE, Pa. - Seniors Tess Ganich, Katie Baird, and Alyssa Zirnheld along with sophomore Madison Kasper posted double-digit kills as the Mercyhurst volleyball team defeated the visiting Golden Rams of West Chester University by a 3-1 score on Friday night at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.  

Mercyhurst grabbed the early 2-0 lead thanks to a pair of WCU attack errors, the Golden Rams pulled even on a score by Hailey Lewis and a home attack error.  The Lakers then embarked on a 7-2 run as Hannah Vuylsteke, Ganich, and Baird accounted for points to go ahead 9-4.  West Chester fought back with Grace Whitney and Shaye Whiteman produced a kill and an ace to score five of the next nine points to trim the margin to 13-9.  Mercyhurst got kills from Addy Benjamin, Ganich, Zirnheld, Kasper, and Baird to put together a 10-3 run to seize a 23-12 advantage.  A Zirnheld service error brought it to 23-13, before a Golden Rams mishit and a Baird kill finished the set 25-13.  

The two sides shared the opening ten points of the second set, before Julia Vreeswyk, Emily Ahern, and Lewis pushed the guests in front 9-7.  Mercyhurst got kills from Zirnheld and Baird coupled with three Golden Rams errors to capture a 14-11 edge.  A service ace by Zoe Gadomski opened the lead to 17-14, however, Chiara Mowrey picked up two aces and Lewis added a kill to bring the guests level 17-17.  A Zirnheld kill and assisted block by Benjamin and Kasper nudged the home side in front 19-17, before the Golden Rams mounted a 6-1 push thanks to Rachel Robb, Sarah Polacek, and Whitney to take a 23-20 advantage.  Both teams would score two more times as a kill off the hand of Jillian Borgerding ended the frame 25-22.

The Lakers began the third strong as Claire Kenny, Ganich, Baird, and Vuylsteke helped the hosts to an 8-3 lead.  West Chester rallied back with Vreeswyk, Ahern, and Robb aiding a 6-2 run to cut the margin down to 10-9.  Mercyhurst would extend their lead using an 6-3 charge with scores by Kasper, Zirnheld, Ganich, and Benjamin to pushing the gap out to four 16-12.  Four home team errors along with kills by Lewis and Ahern moved the Golden Rams ahead by a 19-17 score.  Kills from Leah Kern, Baird, Kasper, and Gadomski allowed the Lakers to sail back to the front 23-21.  WCU got even with back-to-back points, before a Kasper kill and Borgerding error wrapped it up 25-23.  

An assisted block between Kasper and Kern made it 5-3 Mercyhurst to begin the fourth.  The visitors would get in front 8-6 thanks to a 5-1 spurt led by solo kills from Vreeswyk and Robb.  The Lakers asserted themselves with a 7-2 run on scores from Kasper and Zirnheld to jump back ahead 13-10.  WCU cut the deficit down to one at 15-14 when a Whitney kill along with a home miscue.  Baird, Kern, and three consecutive Kasper kills capped off a 7-3 charge putting the hosts up 22-17.  The next six points were shared between the sides, but a Ganich kill was the final blow of the set and the match 25-20.  

Ganich led the way with 13 kills, while Baird and Kern each had 11 with Kasper chipping in ten.  Vuylsteke had a match-high 25 digs.  The setting combination of Mary Marusza and Kenny accounted for 40 assists with Kenny leading the way with 23.  

West Chester put fourth a balanced attack as no player reached double-digits as Vreeswyk paced the team with eight.  Whiteman added 19 digs and Ahern posted a team-high 17 helpers.

The Lakers are right back at it tomorrow afternoon when they welcome the Marauders of Millersville University to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center for PSAC action with first serve set for 2:05pm.