SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - The Mercyhurst women's volleyball team had their three-game winning streak snapped on Friday night as they suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference newcomer Shepherd University.
The first set got out to an even start with the two sides sharing the opening four points, before an assisted block by
Leah Kern and
Katie Baird along with a
Hannah Vuylsteke kill made it 4-2 visitors. A kil from Elyssia Smith brought the home side to within 6-5, but points from
Madison Kasper,
Addy Benjamin, and
Tess Ganich opened up a 9-5 lead. Baird stretched the margin to six 12-6 on a solo block, but Shepherd answered back with an 8-2 run as Cambriea Hill, Georgia Ohmke, Seone Good, and Smith all recorded kills to knot the score up 14-14. The Rams took their first lead of the set at 15-14 when Hill put away a kill. Peyton Lindblad, Jessica Karcz, and Smith help to account for eight of the next twelve points to open the lead up to 23-18. Mercyhurst did not go away however, with three kills by Baird along with a Vuylsteke ace pulled them to within 24-22. Unfortunately, Hill put down the next point out of a timeout to take the first 25-22.
Shepherd began the second with a 5-0 edge thanks to Lindblad, Ohmke, Goode, and Hill. Ganich recorded the Lakers first point of the set to make it 5-1. Another kill by Ganich pulled the away side to within 7-4, before the Rams went on a 13-6 charge to go ahead 20-10 with kills coming from Kiara Rakestraw, Hill, and Lindblad, while the Mercyhurst scores were by Kern, Kasper, and Benjamin.
Mary Marusza, Kern, and Baird along with a pair of home miscues allowed the Lakers to pick up five of the ensuing ten points, but an ace by Karcz wrapped up the frame 25-15.
Neither side grabbed control early in the third as they teams were deadlocked 7-7. Mercyhurst snagged four of the next seven points on a Kern and Kasper block, a Kern ace, and
Alyssa Zirnheld kill to get ahead by a slim 11-10 margin. A Lindblad ace immediately drew things level 11-11. There would be six more ties to keep the score even out to 18-18, before
Hailey Wilson recorded an ace to spark a 3-1 push aided by Zirnheld and Ganich kills to nudge in front 21-19. Hill got the Rams to within one 22-21, but Baird and Kern put down the final kills in a 25-23 win.
It was the Lakers who took the lead in the fourth at 6-2 on scores from Baird and Ganich. Shepherd then embarked on a 7-3 push with Ohmke, Hill, and Smith supplying the offense to climb all the way back to 9-9. The teams split the following eight points with Zirnheld and Ganich putting away kills to stay tied 13-13. The Rams then appeared to take control as Goode, Karcz, and Smith put together a 6-3 run to jump ahead 19-16. Mercyhurst then went to work on the comeback trail as kills from Zirnheld, Benjamin, and Baird aided a 7-4 push level the score again 23-23. Kills by Baird and Kern helped the visitors stave off a pair of match points, before a Hill kill and Lindblad block ended the match 27-25.
Baird led the Lakers attack with 19 kills, nine digs, and two blocks to total 20.5 points. Ganich and Zirnheld each added eight kills. The setting combination of Clare Kenny and Marusza accounted for 43 assists, while Vuylsteke, Kenny, and Marusza joined up for 45 digs.
Hill and Lindblad put up double-digit kills for the Rams with Hill posting a match-high 20. Karcz on her own handed out 46 assists.
Mercyhurst gets right back at it tomorrow afternoon when they visit Shippensburg University for PSAC action starting at 4pm.
