ERIE, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst women's volleyball team kicks off their 2025 season this Friday, Aug. 29, at the Youngstown State Invitational. The team looks to improve upon their inaugural Division I play from the 2024 season.

This will mark head coach Ryan Patton's 21^st season with the Lakers with assistant coaches Jenell Patton and Dave Rapp returning. Abby Soboleski will be joining the team for her first season at Mercyhurst as assistant coach.

 "I think our offense is going to be more diverse" Patton said.  "We have different weapons in different places and I think that's going to be fun."

The Lakers graduated five seniors, but the vast majority of last year's roster is returning, combined with incoming freshmen and transfer students totals the team's roster to 23.

Andrea Zaric is one of the key players returning for the Lakers. She appeared in every game last season, being a phenomenal offensive threat.

Some key returners include setter Alia Mastromatteo, outsides Brice Hansen and Trinity Tatupu, and opposites Jessica Wilson and Mevelyn Brazoban.

Julia Shepherd joins Mercyhurst as another offensive threat. She transferred from UC Santa Barbra, where she had 42 kills on 115 total attacks in 2024.

Transfers Roslyn Guerra and Mia Mattingly will also look to make an offensive impact this year as well.

After the Youngstown Tournament is over, the Lakers will host their own invitational as well on Sept. 5, hosting Holy Cross and St. Peters.

The following week, the Lakers will head to the Binghamton Invitational, where they will play Binghamton, Bucknell and Canisius.

Sept.19, the Lakers travel to the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational, and will play Bellarmine, Purdue Fort Wayne and Toledo.
Finally, the first home series of the season, and first conference game of the season will be against FDU on Sept. 26 and a second matchup the following day.

"We just want to challenge ourselves and see what we have to work on" Patton said. "I do think we'll surprise a few of them."

The Lakers will be on the road when they play St. Francis on the road on Oct. 7.

What is likely to be the Lakers' biggest test is when they continue their road trip with a two-game stretch at LIU on Oct. 10-11. LIU was ranked first in the NEC's preseason poll.

The Lakers return home for a five-game homestand the following weeks, when they play New Haven October 17-18, and Stonehill October 24-25. To end the homestand, they play St. Francis October 29.

The final road trips of the season will come Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, when the Lakers go to play Central Connecticut, and Nov. 7-8, when they play Le Moyne.

The final two games of the season will be at Chicago State on Nov.14-15.

Patton added, "We want to get some wins, we're in it for the long haul. There a lot of wins coming for this team."