AMHERST, N.Y. – After dropping their first two matches in nearly 500 days to crosstown rival Gannon University, the Mercyhurst women's volleyball team rallied back from 1-0 deficit to claim a 3-1 win on the road at Daemen College on Thursday night inside Lumsden Gymnasium.  Set scores were 17-25, 27-25, 25-23 and 25-21. 

Mercyhurst took an early 2-1 edge thanks to a pair of Daemen miscues, but then the hosts went on an 8-2 run finished off by a kill from Loren Alberts.  During that stretch Madison Kasper recorded the Lakers first kill of the evening.  A kill from Claire Kenny along with a mishit by Alberts pulled the visitors within 11-7.  The two sides exchanged a pair of 4-0 runs over the next 16 points which kept the gap at four, 19-15.  Beth Brady, Kate Hennessy and Kenny accounted for Hurst scores.  The Wildcats outscored the Lakers 6-2 to end the set at 25-17.

A kill by Maggie Thomas gave Mercyhurst the first point of the second set, before the host got three straight.  The visitors responded with six of the ensuing eight scores on kills by Brady and Kasper, coupled with a solo block from Adeline Benjamin making it 8-5.  A service ace off the hand of Georgia Wicker brought the home side all the way back to claim a 10-9 edge, which they extended out to 13-11 on an Alberts kill.  Mercyhurst kept fighting back as scores from Brady and Kasper kept the margin where it was at 19-17.  Hannah Vuylsteke delivered an ace of her own and Thomas added another kill to bring the Green and Blue in front 21-19.  A kill from Kasper made it set point, but Daemen brought it back to 24-24, before Thomas posted the final point of a 27-25 win.

The third set went back and forth early as the two sides were locked at 4-4.  Hennessy, Kasper and Thomas tried to seize control for the Lakers going on a 6-2 push to grab a 10-6 lead.  Once again the Wildcats fought back with Vanessa Kuliga finishing off a streak of four straight to level things 10-10.  Mercyhurst took the momentum back when a mishandle by Jenn Heritz, resulted in a 7-2 charge with points from Benjamin, Brady, and Hennessy making it 18-13.  The home scored seven of the ensuing nine to knot the set once again 20-20.  However, kills by Kasper and Thomas along with an ace from Vuylsteke was enough to take the frame 25-23.

Another Thomas kill sent the Lakers out of the gate strong to begin the fourth as Benjamin and Vuylsteke aided the 5-0 start.  Daemen chipped away at the gap by taking seven of the next ten points as a mishit by Hennessy brought it to 8-7.  Brady, Kasper and Thomas responded in impressive fashion with an 8-3 charge to extend the lead to 16-10.  The Lakers and Wildcats split the following ten scores allowing the visitors to hold on to the six-point margin 21-15.  An error by Heritz, seemed to wake her up as she picked up four kills during a 6-0 run to make it 22-21.  Mercyhurst was not going to be denied victory with Brady and Kenny putting up the final points for the 25-21 victory. 

Thoughts from Coach Patton
"Claire Kenny did a great job running the offense once our passing settled in."
"We were able to make some mid-season tactical adjustments and reads that were fun to watch which we ultimately turned into points."
"Madison Kasper and Maggie Thomas especially made some big-time swings as the match went on"
"Whether things fully come together next Wednesday or during our traditional fall season, tonight we got a peek at some really good things to come."

On Deck
Mercyhurst returns to the court on Wednesday night when they host Clarion University in a doubleheader beginning at 6pm inside the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.