SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The Mercyhurst volleyball dropped their second straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference contest falling to Shippensburg University by a 3-0 scoreline on Saturday afternoon.  

Mercyhurst got out to the early lead in the first with Tess Ganich, Katie Baird and Hannah Vuylsteke putting up points to take a 4-2 lead.  Shippensburg took four of the next six to draw even at 6-6.  Kills by Madison Kasper and Alyssa Zirnheld along with an assisted block between Addy Benjamin and Zirnheld moved the guests ahead 9-8.  However, after that moment the Raiders went on a tear amassing a 17-3 run thanks to Samantha Webber, Emily Hangen, Kendall Johnson, Gabriella Johnson, and Alana Pergine to win the set 25-12. 

In the second G. Johnson, K. Johnson, and Pergine sent the home side out to a 7-2 lead.  Mercyhurst kept the deficit at five as Leah Kern, Ganich, and Kasper made it 10-5.  Shippensburg opened things up with a 6-1 charge on scores from Webber, G. Johnson, and an ace by Gianna Sigado to extend the advantage to 16-6.  Kills from Zirnheld, Ganich, and Baird allowed the two sides to exchange the next six points allowing the hosts to maintain the ten-point edge 19-9.  The Lakers got outscored 5-4 the rest of the frame with a block, kill, and ace coming from Kern, but it was not enough as G. Johnson put down the final kill 25-13.  

The Raiders exploded to begin the third jumping out to a 14-2 lead with only two service errors stalling the run.  Consecutive home miscues cut it to 14-4, but Dana Roberts and Webber scored kills to open the margin to 17-5.  A kill each by Beth Brady and Kern maintain the deficit at 20-8.  Anne Borah would put away the only other Lakers kill of the set as the Radiers took five of the ensuing seven points for the 25-10 victory.

Ganich and Kern each had four kills for Mercyhurst, while Zirnheld, Brady, Baird, Kasper, Benjamin, and Borah accounted for the remaining 11 kills.  Claire Kenny and Mary Marusza combined to hand out 17 assists. 

The two Johnson both posted double-digit kills for Shippensburg with K. Johnson leading the way with 12.  Megan Forstburg had 15 digs, while Hangen gave out a match-high 30 assists.

Mercyhurst looks to snap their skid on Thursday, October 24 when they visit local rival Gannon at 7pm.  The Lakers will seek to avenge the 3-1 loss they suffered at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center earlier this year.