WHEELING, W.Va. - The Mercyhurst volleyball dropped a pair of hard fought contests on Friday at day one of the PSAC/Moutain East Crossover hosted by Wheeling University.  In the first match of the day they went the distance with Fairmont State before falling in heartbreaking fashion 3-2, and then in the nightcap against the host No. 22 Cardinals the Lakers battled but ultimately succumbed in four.

Fairmont State 3, LAKERS 2  (FSU wins by scores of 25-20, 23-25, 25-18, 16-25, and 17-15)

The teams shared the opening four points, before two Fairmont errors along with a Hannah Vuylsteke ace made it 5-2 Mercyhurst.  Kills by Emma Mobley and Rebecaa Feeney trimmed the gap to 7-6.  Then, the Fighting Falcons continued their comeback with Julia DiPaola getting involved in the scoring as she knotted the set at 9-9.  An Addy Benjamin kill gave the Lakers a short-lived 10-9 edge, but another DiPaola kill drew things level again 11-11.  Scores from Madison Kasper, Leah Kern, and Vuylsteke helped Mercyhurst to four of the next eight points, unfortunately they could not shake Fairmont as the score was still tight 15-15.  A kill by Mobley sparked a 9-1 run from the Fighting Falcons to take a commanding 24-16 lead.  Kelsey Moeller gave the Lakers hope as her service error led to an 4-0 run to bring the margin to 24-20, however an attack error from Mercyhurst ended the frame 25-20.

Set number two started just as tight with the sides deadlocked at 5-5 through ten points.  A kill off the arm of DiPaola made it 6-5, but Beth Brady, Kasper, and Benjamin helped the Lakers to a 10-7 advantage.  Unfortunately, the combination of Taylor Wisniewski, Lilianna Keber, and Moore sparked a 7-1 Fairmont flight to jump in front 14-11.  Three different Lakers attackers resulted in a 5-2 charge to draw even at 16.  The teams exchanged 3-0 runs to keep things competitive 19-19.  Then, with the score still level 23-23 Mercyhust got a kill from Katie Baird and an ace by Zoe Gadomski for the 25-23 win.  

Mercyhurst jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the third on a pair of kills by Alyssa Zirnheld.  Fairmont stormed back with scores from Keara Lewis, Samantha Robb, Feeney and Moore to take a 9-5 advantage.  A kill by Kern finished off a 5-4 stretch by the Lakers to cut the deficit to 13-10.  The Fighting Falcons took control of the set using five different players to embark on a 7-1 run to grab a sizeable 20-11 cushion.  Mercyhurst did not go quietly as Alexa Mitchell, Baird, and Kasper pulled the team back to within 21-17.  However, kills from Moore, DiPaola, and Feeney capped off a 4-1 push to close the set 25-18.

In the fourth it was the Lakers taking control early as with the score at 3-3, Tess Ganich, Kasper, Zirnheld, Kern, and Baird led an 8-1 charge to go ahead 11-4.  A DiPaola kill and assisted block between Feeney and Moore stemmed the tide for a moment at 11-6, but Baird, Benjamin, and Ganich sparked a 4-1 run to grow the advantage to 15-7.  The Fighting Falcons showed their team name was for real with a pair of assisted blocks by Feeney and Lewis helping them claw back to within 16-13.  From that moment on the rest of the set was all Mercyhurst as Kasper, Zirnheld, Kern, and Ganich capped off a 9-3 run to force a decisive fifth 25-16.  

The Lakers took an early 2-0 lead, but blocks from Feeney and Lewis coupled with two Feeney kills gave Fairmont a 6-2 edge.  Mercyhurst rallied back to draw level 7-7 on two aces by Vuylsteke and kills from Kasper and Ganich.  A 4-0 Fighting Falcons run followed by a 3-0 Lakers push gave Fairmont a slim 11-10 lead.  Fairmont got back-to-back scores by Lewis and a set error to move one point from victory 14-11.  However, two Kasper kills and one by Baird made it 14-14.  Then, with the score 15-15, a kill by Feeney and Laker attack error closed the match 17-15.

Kasper, Baird, and Zirnheld all had double-digit kills for the Lakers, with Kasper leading the way with a career-high 19.  Vuylsteke had a team-high 27 digs, while Mary Marusza and Mitchell combined for 50 assists.

Feeney, Moore, and DiPaola each posted double-digit kills for the Fighting Falcons.  Four players had 10-plus digs.  

No. 22 Wheeling 3, LAKERS 1 (Cardinals win by scores of 18-25, 27-25, 25-19, and 25-19)

With the score tied 1-1 in the first Mercyhurst went on a 6-1 run on kills by Ganich, Benjamin, and Baird to jump ahead 7-2.  The Cardinals closed to 7-5 thanks to a visiting ball handling error, but Benjamin, Kasper, and Baird earned five straight to open up the 13-5 lead.  Wheeling would get to within six 15-9 on a kill from Breanna Kramer.  The Lakers then took control extending the advantage to as many as ten at 19-9 when Zirnheld pounded one down.  The home side never really got back into it after that as Zirnheld brought the set to a close with a kill 25-18.

The second frame was quite nip and tuck with eight ties in the opening 20 points resulting in a 10-10 draw.  Neither side could grab control with Kern, Baird, and Kasper helping the Lakers to stay tight at 15-15.  A kill from Zirnheld and an ace by Baird gave the guest a slim 17-15 edge.  It was not long-lived as a serve error and kill for Kramer made it level 17-17.  The ensuing four points were divided evenly to maintain the tie 19-19.  Kills by Abby Strait and Kramer gave the Cardinals a pair of two-point leads, however consecutive Baird scores made it 23-23.  The Lakers saved one break point, before Cassie Meyer put away a kill and ace to end the set 27-25.

With the score locked 4-4 to begin the third Mercyhurst embarked on a 7-3 charge on kills by Kasper, Kern, Zirnheld, and Ganich to claim an 11-7 edge.  Allonda Watkins an Strait accounted for four straight Cardinals points to even things once again 11-11.  Wheeling went on a an 8-4 charge with kills by Meyer, Kramer, Strait, and Audrey Francis handing the hosts a 19-15 cushion.  A Zirnheld kill gave the guests hope for a comeback trimming the margin to 21-19, but Strait, Kramer, and Meyer capped the frame 25-19.

The fourth started just as tight as the other ones with the sides embroiled in a 7-7 deadlock.  Mercyhurst came roaring back with scores by Baird and Ganich helping to cut the deficit to 12-11.  Wheeling used kills from Strait and Kramer along with two visiting errors to extend their margin to 17-12.  The Lakers did their best to crawl back into the set as Baird and Zirnheld put away kills making it 18-16.  Unfortunately, a 7-3 Cardinals run ended the match 25-19.  

Baird (16) and Zirnheld (14) led the Lakers in kills.  Vuylsteke had a team-high 24 digs, with the setting duo of Mitchell and Marusza handing out 46 assists.

Strait, Kramer, Watkins, and Meyer all had double-digit kills for the Cardinals.  Stephanie Sylvester dished out a match-high 52 helpers.

Mercyhurst returns to action tomorrow for day two of the PSAC/Mountain East Crossover when they travel to West Liberty University for a match with Notre Dame (Ohio) at noon, before battling the host Hilltoppers at 4pm.