Final Score: Gannon 3, at Mercyhurst 2
Set Scores: 22-25, 28-26, 19-25, 25-17, 15-10
Records: Gannon 20-7, 13-5 PSAC | Mercyhurst 14-15, 9-9 PSAC
Location: Erie, Pa. – Athletic Center
The Short Story:  The Gannon women's volleyball hit .222 and only committed 1 attack error in the fifth set as the Lady Knights defeated rival Mercyhurst, 3-2, Tuesday evening in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division match at the Athletic Center in Erie, Pa.

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
Box Score: Click Here


HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The first set went back and forth, as there were seven ties, before Gannon went on a 4-1 run taking a 14-12 lead.
• Mercyhurst rallied taking a 19-16 lead and closed the first set going on a 4-0 run winning 25-22.
• In the second set, the Lady Knights took an 8-2 lead before the Lakers recorded a string of points pulling within one of Gannon 11-10.
• Merychurst tied the match 15-15 with a kill by Lexi Stefanov. From that point the set saw eight ties, including a 25-25 before Hannah Kren put the set away for Gannon with back-to-back kills for the 28-26 final.
• After the break, the Lakers took a 10-6 lead in the third set and never looked back.
• The Lady Knights slowly chipped away at the Lakers, but Mercyhurst was able to hold Gannon off defeating them in the third set 25-19.
• Gannon jumped out to a 9-4 lead, before pushing forward with an additional six points, with Jordyn Thiery (Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley) leading the Knights on the serve, 15-5.
• The Lady Knights would only build upon their lead, 20-10 with an attack from Kelsey Ansec (Solon, Ohio/Solon). Gannon closed the fourth set 25-17 and forced rival Mercyhurst to a fifth set.
• The early points of the fifth set remained close, until the two teams switch sides of the net and the Lady Knights began to pull away and took the set, 15-10 along with the overall match 3-2. 

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
Hannah Kren (Waukesha, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran)  is 47 kills away from breaking into the Gannon Single-Season kills, she currently has 369 kills on the season.
Lauren Beck (Chardon, Ohio/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin) is18 block assists from tying Claren Harris for the number 10 spot on the Single-Season block assists in a single.
Gannon is now 39-26 overall against Mercyhurst, defeating them 3-2 in both meetings this season.
 
QUOTABLES | HEAD COACH MATT DARLING

• "Tonight was a great night for our team as we proved, for like the tenth time in conference play, that we will fight to the finish.  We were playing from behind for most of this match because Mercyhurst came ready to win, like always.  But we didn't stop trying to find ways to win, and so we can celebrate tonight."
• "We had some standout performances tonight, especially from Jordyn and Hannah.  But I also have to mention Lisa, who came in during the fourth set and helped us totally change the momentum of the match.  Also, Lauren and Lynne scored very well in the middle and came up with big blocks at key times.  As has so often been the case this season, everyone pitched in to help deliver a good result."

 
UP NEXT
Gannon returns to the Hammermill Center on Friday, Nov. 6 when they host Slippery Rock at 7 p.m. followed by PSAC top-seed Edinboro on Saturday at 2 p.m.