ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon volleyball team dropped a 3-0 final against Mercyhurst on Friday evening at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center in Erie. The Lakers hit .322 and also recorded 12 aces in the win.
"This is one of those matches that, for reasons I can't yet explain, was over before it started because one team showed up ready to play and one didn't," said Gannon head volleyball coach
Matt Darling. "Unfortunately, I'm responsible for the team that didn't show up ready to play, and Coach Patton and his staff should be congratulated for the work they did to be the team that was ready, more than ready, to win.
"I've had some bad weeks as a coach, and this one ranks at or near the top of the list; but our job now is to try to fix this thing. I'm not doing a good job right now, but I can hopefully be better as we move forward."
Mercyhurst topped Gannon by set scores of 25-19, 25-15 and 26-24 to improve to 5-11 overall and 2-5 in the league. Tonight's win is Mercyhurst's first over Gannon since the 2014 season. GU held a 15-match winning streak over the Lakers entering Friday night.
Gannon's record dropped to 15-4 overall and 4-2 in PSAC West play following the setback.
Gannon struggled to get anything going on the attack, finishing the match with just 37 kills and one ace. The Golden Knights did hold a 6-3 advantage in blocks. Gannon hit just .234 in the match.
Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) led Gannon with seven kills in the setback.
Maggie Greenfield (Woodstock, Ontario/Woodstock Collegiate Institute) and
Ashley McClung (Charleston, W.Va./George Washington) also chipped in six kills apiece. Kerestes also had five blocks.
Ashley Beyers (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) passed out 28 assists for the Knights.
Defensively, Gannon got 11 digs from
Katie Becht (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) and eight apiece from
Lauren Sampson (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) and
Madde Blake (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central).
Beth Brady finished with a match-high 12 kills and 12 digs to lead Mercyhurst in the win. Hannah Vuylsteke also had a big night for the Lakers with 17 digs and six aces. Alexa Mitchell passed out 23 assists.
Gannon will return home on Tuesday evening to host Walsh University. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.
