CLARION, Pa. – The Mercyhurst women's volleyball team wrapped up their 2021 spring slate with a pair of setbacks to host Clarion University on Saturday afternoon at Tippin Gymnasium.  The Lakers were shutout 3-0 in the first match, before taking the opening two sets in the second match only to come up short by a 3-2 margin.

Match One – Clarion 3, Hurst 0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-20)
The two teams shared the opening ten points of the match with Zoe Gadomski, Beth Brady and Madison Kasper recording points for the visitors.  A 3-0 push from Clarion was met by a Hurst 3-1 charge as Hailey Wilson, Chase Cole and Claire Kenny put the ball away for the Lakers to pull within 9-8.  Each scored three consecutive points with Adeline Benjamin, Brady and Cole keeping the gap at 12-11.  Cole and Kasper worked hard to bring the guests level which they eventually managed 16-16.  Hannah Vuylsteke, Cole and Wilson closed the margin to 23-20, but the Eagles took the final two. 

Mercyhurst dug themselves an early hole in the second falling behind 5-2 with only Brady picking up a kill.  Scores from Benjamin and Kasper cut the deficit to 7-5.  Clarion then went on a 7-2 stretch to build up a 14-7 advantage.  Once again the duo of Kasper and Benjamin trimmed the gap by two to 16-11.  Five of the ensuing seven points belonged to the Golden Eagles stretching the lead to 21-13.  Corrine Bechtold, Kylie Schnars along with Wilson put away kills, however it was not enough as the home side closed out a 25-16 win.

A pair of Brady kills, coupled with scores from Kate Hennessy and Kasper had things locked at 6-6 in the third.  Brady contributed two more points during a 6-2 push from the hosts to go in front 12-8.  She continued her strong match with another two kills, before the Golden Eagles grabbed seven of the next nine to make it 19-13.  Kasper, Schnars and Vuylsteke tried to bring the Green and Blue back into the match closing within 23-20.  Clarion recorded back-to-back kills to finish off match one.

Lakers Leaders
Kills – Brady (12), Kasper (9), Benjamin (4)
Assists – Kenny (20), Vuylsteke (6), McCaffrey (5)
Digs -  Vuylsteke (16), Gadomski (11), Kenny (10)

Match Two – Clarion 3, Hurst 2 (27-29, 25-27, 25-19, 25-23, 19-17)
The first set began very "nip and tuck" as things were even at 7-7, before Benjamin, Kasper and Schnars all got a piece of a block to make it 10-7.  A kill by Kasper held the margin at three, 14-11, before the home team notched two straight closing within 14-13.  Isa McCaffrey set up Benjamin for a kill, prior to Clarion getting five in a row to lead 19-17.  Brady McCaffrey, and Wilson brought the Lakers to even 23-23, and the frame would need extra points.  Mercyhurst would claim the set with a 4-1 sprint as Benjamin, Brady, and Schnars closed out the 29-27 win.

The second started out with the Lakers jumping ahead 5-3 on scores from Benjamin, Kasper and Wilson.  Clarion pulled level 6-6, before Benjamin, Brady, Schnars, and Vuylsteke helped the visitors to get in front 15-9.  An assisted block between Benjamin and Schnars maintained the six-point cushion at 19-13.  The home team used a 9-4 push to get within 23-22, before kills from Brady, Hennessy, and Kasper finished a 27-25 set two triumph.

With the third knotted at 6-6, the Golden Eagles scored four consecutive points to grab a 10-6 advantage.  Mercyhurst took advantage of a host mishit and a Hennessy kill cutting the deficit down to 12-8. However, Clarion seized momentum right back with a 7-4 charge making it 19-12.  Kasper recorded a kill and got help from four home errors to get within 24-19, but it would not be enough.

In the fourth, the Golden Eagles jumped out to a quick 7-3 edge and continued to hold the Green and Blue at bay building up a 16-8 advantage.  The Lakers tried to chip away and get back into the match with kills from Bechtold, Brady, and Wilson making it 18-14.  Benjamin and Wilson kept the Lakers in striking distance of closing out the match at 23-19.  However, the hosts would get the necessary to kills to end the set 25-23.

The deciding fifth set started strong for the Golden Eagles as the took a 4-2 lead, before Wilson and Kasper moved the Lakers ahead 6-5.  Seven consecutive points from Clarion helped them to flip the script jumping in front 12-6.  Mercyhurst roared back to take a 15-14 edge thanks to points by Bechtold, Benjamin, Brady and Kenny.  Unfortunately, that woke the home team up as they claimed five of the following seven points to seal the win. 

Lakers Leaders
Kills – Kasper (14), Brady (13), Benjamin (10)
Assists – Ward (20), McCaffrey (15), Kenny (9)
Digs -  Vuylsteke (43), Brady (16)

Thoughts from Coach Patton
"Beth had a great hitting match, especially since she was the target of Clarion's serves all afternoon which she handled well."
"The most important thing from match one came at the end when Beth and Madison found some offensive options that we have been encouraging them to use.  We will be able to refer to this match as we look towards the fall."
"In the second match we got some real emotion and competitiveness that is great for us going forward."
"Our blocking has been a pleasant surprise this spring and will only get better."  

On Deck
Mercyhurst will now look ahead to what hopes to be a "normal" 2021 fall season.