ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst volleyball team mounted a furious comeback in the fourth set to force a decisive fifth, but ultimately fell to the visiting Fighting Scots of Edinboro University by a score of 3-2 on Tuesday night at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
With the score tied 3-3 to begin the match Mercyhurst looked to establish some momentunm with points from
Tess Ganich,
Alyssa Zirnheld,
Madison Kasper, and
Leah Kern moving the hosts in front 7-4. Edinboro answerd back with a 4-1 run as Bella Burrelli and Sally Sterkel recorded kills to make it 8-8. Another Ganich kill aided by ones from
Addy Benjamin and
Katie Baird capped off an 8-3 push by the Lakers to snag a 16-11 advantage. Kills put away from Kasper and Zirnheld helped maintain a four-point cushion at 19-15. However, the Fighting Scots mounted a charge of their own with Erica Sharp, Alicia Eldredge, Burrelli, and Sterkel to actually take the lead 20-19. An attack error from Cierah Jackson left the home team two points away from the set, but Ashley Mirka, Sharp, Jackson, and Eldredge wrapped up a 4-0 run to take the set 25-23.
The second began the same way as the first with neither side seizing control as they shared the first eighteen points to be level 9-9. A Sterkel kill made it 11-9 visitors, however, Mercyhurst established a 13-11 lead with Baird and Kasper supplying the kills. Jackson would pull the Fighting Scots to within 13-12, before the Lakers took four of the next six as Zirnheld, Kern, and Kasper all put down kills to hold the 17-14 edge. Edinboro got the score to 17-16 thanks to an assisted block between Sharp and Jackson however, a 5-1 stretch by the hosts on scores from Ganich, Benjamin, and Baird made it 22-17. Ganich would net the final kill of the frame five points later for the 25-19 win.
Edinboro jumped out to an early 6-4 advantage on a kill from Sterkel. Consecutive Ganich kills finished a 4-2 stretch from the Lakers to draw even 8-8, however, the Fighting Scots snagged four of the ensuing five with Jackson capping it off to make it 12-9. The set of runs continued with Mercyhurst responding with a 6-1 flight with Kern and Baird picking up kills along with an ace off the hand of
Hannah Vuylsteke to jump ahead by two 15-13. Five of the following nine belonged to the guests allowing the Lakers to stay in front by the slimmest of margins 19-18. Sterkel, Sharp, and Jackson accounted for a 7-3 run by the Scots to capture the third 25-22. Â
A kill and block from Paige Morris helped Edinboro to get up 7-3 throught the opening ten points. The visitors continued their push to wrap up the match in four using a 6-3 push to get ahead 13-6, with only Kern and Baird recording points for the Lakers. Mercyhurst received kills from Zirnheld, Ganich, and Benjamin to cut the deficit to just three 16-13. A kill by Morris helped to extended the Edinboro lead back to five 20-15. Mercyhurst barred down from there determined to force a fifth and final set using a 7-0 run on kill from Kasper and Benjamin to in front 22-20. Four of the ensuing six went to the away team to get back even 24-24, before Baird and Vuylsteke put down the final kills of the set for the 26-24 win. Â
Again the Lakers were forced to fight back early in the fifth as a Sharp kill put the Fighting Scots ahead 6-2. Baird and Zirnheld recorded points in a 5-3 push to close to 9-7.   With the Lakers trailing 10-7, Zirnheld started a 7-2 explosion to ultimately capture a 12-11 lead on a kill from Baird.
Unfortunately, Edinboro scored the next four points on kills from Eldredge, Sharp, and Jackson to take the set and match 15-12. Â
Mercyhurst had four players with double-digit kills as Ganich (16), Zirnheld (13), Baird (11), and Kasper (10) provided most of the offense. Vuylsteke had 26 digs to lead the team with
Claire Kenny adding 14. The setting duo of Kenny and
Mary Marusza put out 46 assists.
Edinboro also had four in double-digit kills as Sharp (17), Burrelli (14), Sterkel (12), and Jackson (11) all hit that mark. Â
Divison Standings:
Gannon - 11-1 PSAC, 21-4 overall
Edinboro - 7-5 PSAC, 13-10 overall
Clarion - 6-5 PSAC, 14-9 overall
MERCYHURST - 5-7 PSAC, 13-10 overall
Slippery Rock - 2-9 PSAC, 7-16 overallÂ
The Lakers currently sit two games back of the final playoff spot with six games to go.
Mercyhurst returns to action on Friday, November 1 when they welcome the Vulcans of the California University of Pennsylvania at 7:05 pm inside the Athletic Center.
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