Feb. 23, 2008

Box Score

Fairfield, Conn. - The Mercyhurst volleyball team won for the third time in the past five matches, defeating Sacred Heart in three games, 30-23, 30-25, 30-22, Saturday. With the victory, Lakers have surpassed their 2007 win total.

Mercyhurst racked up 52 kills in the three-game match and hit .354 for the contest, the team's second highest percentage of the season. Tim Wagner put down 15 kills and Dave Newman added 11 on just 16 swings for a .625 attack percentage. David Hatten dished out 37 assists and added eight digs in the match. Jordan Pierson had a game-high 10 digs and the Lakers served up six aces.

In the opening game, Mercyhurst trailed at 1-0 but scored the next four points and never looked back. Holding onto a 27-23 lead, the Lakers picked up a pair of kills from Wagner and the game-clinching kill from Jeff Hartman to take the early lead.

Sacred Heart led for much of the second game and clung to a 22-21 before Mercyhurst got a kill and an assist block from Ron Cierniakoski and scored eight of the next 10 points to run away with a 30-25 victory. In the final game, Mercyhurst went on a 9-2 run at the midway point to take a 22-14 lead and never looked back.

Sacred Heart falls to 1-7 on the season and Mercyhurst improves to 3-11. The Lakers are off until hosting conference foe Ohio State March 6 at 7 p.m.