ERIE, Pa. - After a huge come from behind win on Friday night over California the Mercyhurst women's volleyball team was stymied by the visiting Griffins of Seton Hill University on Sunday afternoon by a 3-0 score at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center in the final home game of the 2019 season.
Mercyhurst started strong with kills from
Tess Ganich and
Katie Baird along with an ace off the arm of
Hannah Vuylsteke gave them a 4-2 lead. Seton Hill came back taking five of the next six points on scores from Viktoria Farian, Bobbi Rempe, and Erin Parks to go ahead 7-5. Kills by
Leah Kern,
Alyssa Zirnheld, and Baird helped the Lakers regain a two-point cushion 10-8. However, the Griffins did not go away as Jillian Livorse, Jessica Hanson, Carrie Leazer, and Taylor Sabol put together a 6-0 run for the 14-10 edge. Their push was halted for just a second by a Farian attack error, before they ripped off three more to extend the gap to 17-11 on a kill by Livorse. The home team crawled back to within one 18-17 on points from Ganich, Baird, Zirnheld, and Kern. Seton Hill nabbed seven of the last ten with a put down from Sabol finishing off the first 25-20.
The second began on the seesaw with the two sides sharing the first ten points. Three scores by Livorse and a kill for Farian put the Griffins up 10-8. A kill from Baird got the Lakers to 13-11, but a Rempe kill and home miscue brought it back to 15-11. Mercyhurst closed the lead to 15-13, 16-14 on a
Madison Kasper kill, 17-15 thanks to Ganich, and 18-16 when Baird slammed down a kill. Livorse, Parks, and Sabol all provided kills to help the Griffins lead by four 24-20, but kills from Zirnheld and Baird did not let the Lakers go away cutting the deficit to 24-22. Unfortunately, Farian scored the final kill of the frame for the 25-22 win.
Kills for
Addy Benjamin, Ganich, Baird, and Zirnheld helped the Lakers to jump ahead early in the third 8-5. Seton Hill responded with five of the ensuing seven points thanks to Livorse, Farian, Parks, and Katie Koziarz to draw even at 10-10. Things then seem to get good for the Lakers with a Vuylsteke ace and four Griffins errors pushed the hosts in front 15-10. However, the visitors seized control at that moment putting together a 9-1 run with kills from Rempe, Farian, Livorse, Sabol, and Parks to lead by three 19-16. Kill from Baird and Zirnheld made it 19-18, but Cameron Baril and Hanson put down scores to stretch the lead back to three 21-18. Two Zirnheld kills kept the Lakers close at 23-21, unfortunately, a service error and assisted block from Rempe and Farian ended the match 25-21.
Baird (13) and Zirnheld (10) were the two Lakers with double-digit kills, while Ganich added eight. Vuylsteke had 23 digs to lead the team with
Claire Kenny handing out 23 assists.
Mary Marusza chipped in 15 helpers as well.
For the Griffins, Farian had a match-high 14 kills, while Livorse tacked on 10. Parks, Hanson, and Rempe combined for 16 kills. Leazer 15 digs with Fairan leading the team in that category with 24. Sabol and her 39 assists accounted for all but four of her team's assists.
The Lakers now face an uphill battle to reach the playoffs, but will look to begin climbing that hill on Thursday, November 7 when they visit the Mountain Cats of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown for a 7pm first serve.
