FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Mercyhurst Women's Volleyball team played their final game of the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational against Toledo, losing in three sets 25-14 ,25-11 and 25-12.
 
The first set opened with a strong start from Toledo, quickly taking a 3-0 lead. The Lakers responded with a kill by Kaitlin Murphy at 2-3, showing early signs of resilience.. Despite a late effort from Mercyhurst, with Julia Shepherd contributing kills at 15-8 and again at 24-14, Toledo maintained their advantage to close the set at 25-14.
 
The second set began with a back-and-forth exchange of service errors. Despite notable efforts from Shepherd and Jessica Wilson, who each contributed kills set up by Mastromatteo, Toledo's momentum was unrelenting, culminating in a decisive 25-11 victory for the visitors.
 
The third set saw a fierce battle, with the Lakers initially keeping pace with Toledo through notable contributions from Shepherd, who secured early points with kills, both assisted by Mastromatteo. However, Toledo capitalized on a scoring streak, extending their lead to 13-5,. Despite efforts from the Lakers, including a late kill by Kelsie Gaiter-Davis from Anna Logan, Toledo maintained their momentum to secure the set 25-12.
 
Shepherd contributed six kills and one block assist, accumulating 6.5 points across three sets. Mastromatteo facilitated the offense with 12 assists and added three digs over the same span. Murphy posted a .667 attack percentage with four kills on six swings without an error. Gaiter-Davis recorded seven digs and hit a perfect 1.000 with one kill on one attempt.
 
Looking ahead, the Lakers are set to host FDU on Friday, September 26. The match will begin at 6 p.m. in Erie, Pa.