ERIE, Pa. - After playing their first 11 games away from Erie the Mercyhurst volleyball team finally played in front of the home crowd and rewarded them with a 3-0 victory on Thursday night at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference opener over Bloomsburg.  The Lakers took the match by set scores of 25-21, 25-14, and 25-23.  

The two sides split the opening eight points of the match as a kill by Katie Baird leveled things at 4-4.  Bloomsburg used a 4-1 push on scores by Ashley Adams, Julia Burcin, and Sydney Buell to go ahead 8-5.  A kill from Burcin made it 10-8, but then the Lakers went on an 8-2 charge with kills coming from Alyssa Zirnheld, Addy Benjamin, Madison Kasper, and Tess Ganich to snag a 14-11 lead.  Grace Giza slowed the Mercyhurst attack for a moment as her kill cut it to 14-12.  However, the home team took seven of the following ten points with Hannah Vuylsteke, Leah Kern, Kasper, Baird, and Ganich all recording points to extend the gap to six 21-15.  The Huskies used a 6-3 run to get within 24-21, but a kill put away by Zirnheld ended the set 25-21.  

Mercyhurst trailed 1-0 to start the second, before Ganich and Benjamin coupled with three Huskies attack errors gave the hosts a 6-3 edge.  A kill for Buell trimmed the margin to 6-4.  Then, after a Ganich kill Mary Marusza went to the service line and she led the Lakers to seven consecutive points to stake the hosts to ten point cushion 14-4.  Bloomsburg responded thanks to four Mercyhurst miscues and an ace from Brooke Kratzer to make it 14-9.  Baird, Kasper, Kern, Benjamin, and Zirnheld engineered a 7-2 Lakers push to recapture the double-digit lead 21-11.  Mercyhurst outscored the guests 4-3 down the stretch with a Zirnheld kill wrapping up the frame 25-14.  

The Lakers exploded to begin the third with Ganich, Baird, and Vuylsteke leading them to a 7-2 advantage.  Mercyhurst continued to push the margin with a kill from Hailey Wilson giving them their largest lead to that point 11-4.  Bloomsburg rallied back as Mary Kate Mooney, Alyssa Cianciulli, Grace Giza, and Buell trimming the gap to 13-10.  Wilson allowed the hosts to briefly recapture the four-point cushion 14-10.  However, the Huskies answered with a 7-2 run of their own to go ahead 17-16.  Claire Kenny, Ganich, and Baird helped put together a 6-1 response to move in front 22-18.  Bloomsburg once again showed their grit and fight with a 5-1 run knotting the score 23-23.  However, the Lakers would not be denied as a Zirnheld kill and attack error by Giza finished the match 25-23. 

Mercyhurst was led by a dozen kills for Ganich.  Zirnheld and Baird combined for 15 kills, 12 digs, and two blocks.  Vuylsteke had a pair of aces, while Alexa Mitchell, Kenny, and Marusza all posted double-digit assists.  

Buell and Giza paced the Huskies with eight kills each.  Bryn Stek handed out 14 helpers.

The Lakers return to action on Saturday, September 28 when they welcome the Bald Eagles of Lock Haven University for PSAC play on Homecoming beginning at 5:05pm.