SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University volleyball team started its four-match homestand on a down note Friday night in a 3-1 (25-21, 24-26, 25-17, 25-18) loss to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Northwest Division foe Mercyhurst University at Morrow Field House.
 
Slippery Rock (9-13, 1-9 PSAC) played well for stretches of the night, but Mercyhurst (7-14, 2-8 PSAC) was able to take advantage of several decisive runs in the first, third and fourth sets to earn the road victory.
 
Haley Defibaugh guided The Rock's attack with a season-high 33 assists. Kaley Fucci recorded a team-best 11 kills to go with three block assists while Stephanie Jacobsen chipped in nine kills. The trio of Brooke Bostwick, Erinn Kahoe and Shayla Ray all tallied six kills as well.
 
Kahoe, Fucci and Jalyn Willard each served two aces on the night in support of The Rock's attack.
 
Defensively, Bostwick produced five blocks and Courtney Oberlander made a match-high 27 digs, which pushed her career total to 1,721 digs, the fourth highest total in program history.
 
Slippery Rock overcame three five-point deficits in the opening set to pull even with the Lakers at 18-18, but Mercyhurst was able to rattle off five straight points to take a 23-18 lead on the way to a 25-21 first-set victory.
 
SRU found itself trailing 15-9 in the second set, but slowly clawed its way back in the game to eventually take a 19-18 lead. From there, both teams would trade runs leading to a 23-23 tie. The Lakers received a kill by Katie Baird to pull to within one point of clinching the set at 24-23 and forcing a Rock timeout in the process. Slippery Rock was dynamic out of the break as The Rock's defense first forced a Laker attack error followed by a Willard ace and a set-clinching kill by Fucci to give The Rock the 26-24 win and even the match at 1-1.
 
However, The Rock's comeback bid would end there as Mercyhurst benefitted from a 13-3 run in the third set to record a 25-17 win followed by a 10-3 spurt in the fourth that sealed the set, and the match, 25-18.
 
Four different Lakers recorded at least 10 kills with Beard leading the way on a 15-kill performance. Leah Kern added 10 kills and five blocks in the victory.
 
For the match, Mercyhurst held advantages over The Rock in hitting percentage (.210-.114) and aces (10-6) while both teams recorded seven total blocks.
 
Slippery Rock will look to bounce back from Friday's loss with a victory 2 p.m. Saturday against PSAC Northwest leader Gannon University.
 
 
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