ERIE, Pa. - In the second "Battle of Erie" volleyball edition the host Gannon University held off a comeback attempt from the Lakers to take the match by a 3-0 final at the Hammermill Center on Thursday night in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action.

Gannon came out of the gates flying as Ashley McClung, Ashley Kerestes, and Ally Smith staked the home side to an 8-1 lead.  Mercyhurst attempted to fight back with Alyssa Zirnheld, Hannah Vuylsteke, and Katie Baird aided a 6-3 run to close the gap to 11-6.  An ace off the hand of Leah Kern made it 11-8, before the Lady Knights grabbed the next five points to stretch the margin to eight, 16-8.  Kills by Tess Ganich and Baird cut it back to 16-10, but Ashley Buyers, Lauren Sampson, Smith, and Kerestes put together a 6-0 push to open their largest advantage of the set 22-10.  Zirnheld would record the only other Laker kill, prior to Johanna Gregory putting away the final point 25-13.  

It was a better start for Mercyhurst in the second with Addy Benjamin and Madison Kasper providing kills to make it 4-1.  Two kills from Buyers and an ace by Smith knotted the score at 4-4.  A Zirnheld kill sparked a 4-2 Lakers push for the 8-6 edge. 
The visitors nudged the lead to 11-8 thanks to a Gannon mishit, but the Lady Knights did not go away embarking on a 5-2 run ending on a Valeria Torres ace to draw level 13-13.  Gannon then took the lead as Smith picked up a pair of kills followed by an assisted block between Beyers and Kerestes to move ahead 17-13.  A 4-1 charge by Mercyhurst cut it to 19-17, before Maggie Greenfield and Beyers provided points to up the advantage 22-17.  The Lakers scored the next three thanks to a Kern kill and joint block by Mary Marusza and Kern trimming the margin to 22-20.  Unfortunately, a McClung kill and combination block ended the frame 25-20.  

The third set went back-and-forth to start as the two sides shared the first ten points.  Mercyhurst used a 5-2 run on kills by Zirnheld, Kern, and Baird to seize the 10-7 advantage.  After Gannon got a Smith kill to make it 10-8, the Lakers then opened things up scoring six of the next seven as Baird, Kasper, Benjamin, and Beth Brady all recorded points to lead 15-8. 
However, Gannon started to climb back into the set with Gregory, Smith, Torres, and Katie Becht brought the host to within four 18-14.  Each team scored two of the ensuing four allowing the Lakers to maintain the four point cushion 19-15.  The Lady Knights then went on the charge with Beyers, McClung, Smith, and Kerestes recording kills during a 9-1 run that gave the hosts match point at 24-21.  A Baird kill and a Kasper-Benjamin combination block staved off two points 24-23.  Unfortunately, McClung put down the final kill for the match 25-23. 

Zirnheld and Baird led the Lakers with seven kills each, while Kasper and Kern had four apiece.  Marusza doled out 21 assists and Vuylsteke had a team-high 18 digs.

Smith paced the Lady Knights with 13 kills, while McClung added nine.  Beyers had a match-high 35 assists.

The Lakers return to action on Saturday, October 26th when they welcome the Golden Eagles of Clarion University for Senior Day beginning at 2:05pm.