ERIE, Pa. — Mercyhurst defeated Niagara 3-0 on Saturday, taking the sets 25-16, 25-23 and 25-18. The closest set came in the second, when the Lakers moved from a 22-20 deficit to a 25-23 win.
The Lakers broke open a 5-5 set by winning seven of the next eight rallies, with
Mia Mattingly supplying three kills, teaming with
Payton Melin on a block and helping push the lead to 12-6. Earlier,
Julia Shepherd opened the scoring with a kill from
Alyssa Krause, and Krause followed with a service ace as the Lakers built a 3-0 start before Niagara came back to tie it at 4-4 and again at 5-5. The Lakers continued to create separation after the run, getting another Krause ace for a 16-8 lead and kills from
Ava Carney and Mattingly to move ahead 20-11. Niagara cut into the margin with a four-point stretch late, but Mattingly ended that response with a kill from Krause, and the Lakers closed the set on
Aliyah Angelici's serve for a 25-16 win.
In the second set, Mercyhurst erased a 22-20 Niagara lead and finished the frame with a 25-23 win. Earlier, Shepherd's kill from Krause answered Niagara's opening point, and the Lakers followed with four straight points on
Anna Logan's serve, using Logan's ace, two blocks by Carney and Shepherd, and Shepherd's kill from
Kelsie Gaiter-Davis to go up 5-1. Niagara later scored six straight points to turn the Lakers' 13-10 lead into a 16-13 deficit, including three service aces by Karlotta Kattai, and the visitors extended the challenge to 20-16. The Lakers worked back to 20-20 on Carney's kill, a Niagara attack error,
Roslyn Guerra's kill from Krause and Krause's ace. After Niagara moved back in front 22-20, Carney's kill, another Carney-Shepherd block and a Shepherd kill pushed the Lakers ahead 23-22, and after a service error tied it at 23-23, Carney and Shepherd closed the set with consecutive kills.
A Mattingly kill helped the Lakers move from a one-point edge at 17-16 to 23-16 in the third set, starting the late stretch and continuing through five straight service points from
Mya Comer. Earlier, the Lakers answered Niagara's opening point with kills from Shepherd, Logan and Carney, plus a Krause ace, to take a 4-1 lead. The Lakers also got consecutive service aces from
Trinity Tatupu for an 11-7 advantage, and blocks involving Shepherd, Carney, Guerra,
Sarah Barnum and Mattingly helped slow Niagara at key points. After Niagara scored the next two points following the Lakers' late run,
Kalyani Olive delivered a kill for set point before a Niagara attack error closed a 25-18 Lakers set win.
Shepherd led the Lakers with 13.0 points, putting down 10 kills on a .400 hitting percentage and adding five total blocks. Mattingly matched the team high with 10 kills while hitting .556 and recorded four total blocks. Krause finished with 19 assists, four service aces and five digs. Carney added seven kills on a .429 hitting percentage, one ace and five total blocks.
The Lakers continue their season at the Bobcat Invitational when they play UNC Asheville and Morgan State on Friday, Sep. 18.
Look at the 2026 schedule
here.
