Erie, Pa.—The Mercyhurst Volleyball team is set for two PSAC matchups this week. The Lakers are at home on Tuesday evening against Gannon and travel the short distance south to take on Edinboro on Friday.
1.Hurst is Home
Last season, the Lakers went 1-1 against both the Fighting Scots and the Golden Knights with both wins coming at home. The wins came in a streak of six for the 2021 Lakers. Edinboro and Gannon each made appearances in the Atlantic Regional tournament a year ago. Gannon made a run all the way to the elite eight in the NCAA Division II tournament. The Lakers back-to-back wins against two good teams came in straight sets over Gannon and in five against Edinboro.
2.Reduce Errors
In the two wins against their conference rivals last season, the Lakers recorded no reception or block errors. They also limited attack errors to single digits against the Golden Knights with only eight. Mercyhurst looks to replicate those numbers again to earn their first conference wins of the season.
3.Defense Wins Games
Mercyhurst has 602 digs on the season giving them a 15.44 average per set. That is enough to put the Lakers in eighth in the conference. The duo of
Paige Miller and
Zoe Gadomski are the leaders in the back row for Mercyhurst. Miller has 127 digs while Gadomski has posted 130. Gadomski's numbers put her at fifteenth in the PSAC.
4.50 is the Magic Number
The Lakers pair of wins this season have both come when they have 50 or more kills. Against Malone the Lakers posted 58 kills in their five-set victory. In their second win of the season, they tallied 53 kills in another five sets. Each contest saw three Lakers with double digit kills.
Kate Hennessy,
Kylie Schnars and Miller were the trio in win one and in win two
Corinne Bechtold joined Miller and Schnars.
5.A Look at the Opponents
Gannon comes into Tuesday's match with an 8-4 overall record and a 2-0 conference record. Their conference wins coming against Pitt-Johnstown and Cal (PA) winning in straight sets in each contest. The Golden Knights dropped out of the top 25 in the AVCA coaches poll but they are still receiving votes. Edinboro is 1-1 in the PSAC and 11-3 overall. The Fighting Scots beat Slippery Rock in five sets last weekend and lost to IUP in three.
