VESTAL, N.Y. — Mercyhurst volleyball edged out Canisius in a five-set thriller on Saturday at the Binghamton Invitational, securing the win with scores of 25-19, 25-23, 18-25, 19-25, 16-14.

Mercyhurst (2-8, 0-0 NEC) opened the first set with a strong performance, quickly establishing a 5-1 lead with notable contributions from Julia Shepherd and Andrea Zaric, who each recorded early kills. Alia Mastromatteo was instrumental in setting up offensive plays, contributing multiple assists that helped maintain the Lakers' momentum. Despite a late push by the Golden Griffins that brought them within six points, the Lakers capitalized on their opponents' errors and closed out the set at 25-19 with a decisive block by Trinity Tatupu and Kaitlin Murphy, securing the early advantage in the match.

The second set began with Mercyhurst quickly gaining momentum, capitalizing on two consecutive aces by Zaric to take a 3-1 lead. Despite a mid-set rally by Canisius that included a 5-0 run, the Lakers responded with strategic plays, including a crucial kill by Shepherd at 13-13, assisted by Mastromatteo. In the closing moments, Payton Melin and Shepherd delivered decisive kills, while Mastromatteo's assist set up Shepherd for the final point, securing a tightly contested 25-23 victory for the Lakers.

The third set opened with Canisius (1-8, 0-0 MAAC) taking an early 3-0 lead, but Mercyhurst responded with Murphy's kill, narrowing the gap. Alyssa Krause then sparked a rally with consecutive service aces, contributing significantly to bring the score to an 8-8 tie. Despite a strong performance from Roslyn Guerra and multiple assists from Mastromatteo, the Lakers could not maintain momentum as Canisius capitalized on errors and secured a 25-18 set victory.

The fourth set began with Mercyhurst securing an early 3-0 lead, highlighted by an ace from Mastromatteo and a block from Shepherd. Despite a back-and-forth battle, the Golden Griffins managed to counter with a series of points, including a notable stretch with Hannah Kos delivering three consecutive service aces, extending their lead to 18-12. Mercyhurst made a late push with kills from Guerra and Shepherd, but Canisius closed out the set with a block at the net, securing a 25-19 victory.

The final set began with Mercyhurst taking an early lead as Sarah Barnum delivered a kill to secure the opening point. The teams exchanged points, with Zaric and Murphy contributing crucial kills, maintaining the competitive pace. Mastromatteo was instrumental in facilitating the offense, providing multiple assists, including key setups for Melin and Guerra. A late surge by Mercyhurst, highlighted by a service ace from Barnum and a decisive kill by Zaric, clinched the set 16-14, ensuring a dramatic finish to the match.

Shepherd recorded nine kills and contributed four total blocks. Mastromatteo led the team with 22 assists and added three service aces to her performance. Murphy posted a hitting percentage of .625 with five kills and registered five block assists. Guerra finished with 12 kills on 26 attempts, accumulating 13 points for the Lakers.