EASTON, Mass. (October 5, 2024) - The Stonehill College volleyball team fell in four sets to Mercyhurst University at Merkert Gymnasium Saturday evening, splitting a weekend series to begin their Northeast Conference slate.
 
Mercyhurst 3, Stonehill 1 (25-27, 25-15, 16-25, 17-25)
 
Highlights

• Senior Lindsey Peirson (Bedford, N.H.) tallied a career-high 10 kills to lead the Skyhawks with 11 points as she also recorded two block assists.
• Sophomore Abby Farrell (Reading, Mass.) finished the match with 9.5 points, recording seven kills, an ace, a solo block, and a block assist.
• Senior Emma Graves (Vestal, N.Y.) notched nine kills while freshman Paloma Gonzalez Jaramillo (Wylie, Texas) and junior Mia Berardino (Rowley, Mass.) both had eight points. Berardino led the team with 13 digs and had an ace.
• Sophomore Maddie Schamaun (Rockville, Md.) dished 20 assists while Sophomore Amaya Parnell (Portland, Ore.) had 19 assists. Schamaun led the Skyhawks with three aces, and Parnell contributed two service aces of her own.

SET 1 | The match started with seven ties until a 5-0 run from the Lakers put Mercyhurst ahead 12-7.  The two NEC foes continued to trade points as the Lakers held onto their five-point lead, 19-14. Stonehill would score the next three points with kills from Watson and Gonzalez Jaramillo to force Mercyhurst to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, Stonehill scored again until Jessica Wilson connected for a kill to end the Skyhawk run as Mercyhurst led 20-18. Stonehill scored three straight to take a 21-20 lead, but back-to-back kills from the Lakers flipped the lead again, 22-21. A service error by Mercyhurst and a kill from Peirson put the Skyhawks back in front, 23-22. After an ace from Berardino to put the Skyhawks up 24-22, the Lakers went on a 5-1 run, stealing the first set, 27-25.
 
SET 2 | Mercyhurst began the second set up 4-0, but a 5-1 run for the Skyhawks tied things up at five points apiece. The Lakers would score the next three points to retake the lead but Stonehill responded again, tying the score at 8-8 and 9-9, eventually taking the lead, 11-9, after kills from Farrell and Peirson. The Skyhawk offense continued to roll, finishing the set on a 14-6 run while scoring the final six points of the set to tie the match, 1-1. Peirson had four kills in the second set to lead the Stonehill attack.
 
SET 3 | The Lakers rattled off six of the first eight points, jumping out to an early four-point lead. Mercyhurst carried its momentum through the midway point of the set, leading 14-7 and 17-10. The Lakers continued to play well, winning the third frame decisively, 25-16.
 
SET 4 | Stonehill scored the first point of the fourth set, but that didn't stop Mercyhurst from taking another early lead, building an 8-4 advantage. The Lakers recorded four kills, and the Skyhawks had two attack errors as their lead continued to grow, going up to 14-7. Mercyhurst carried its momentum for the remainder of the set, winning the match with a 25-17 fourth-set victory.
 
Up Next
Stonehill Volleyball is on the road for two Northeast Conference matches at Le Moyne College next weekend, playing on Friday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m.
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