SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University volleyball team took Gannon University, one of the top teams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division, to four sets Saturday in a close loss at Morrow Field House.
 
Gannon (18-4, 6-2 PSAC West) took the opening two sets from The Rock (4-17, 1-7 PSAC West) 25-11, 25-12, but SRU fought back with a 26-24 win in the third before losing a tightly-contested fourth game 25-19.
 
Abigail Koeller led The Rock's attack with 10 kills for what was her third double-digit kill effort of the season. Erica Selfridge chipped in seven kills while Chelsie Wheeler added six kills and two blocks.
 
In addition to guiding the offense with 15 assists, Peytan Gullickson also served a team-high two aces while making 15 digs for her first career double-double.
 
The Rock's middle hitter duo of Lauren Crytzer and Stephanie O'Donnell combined for six kills and eight blocks, five of which came from O'Donnell. Tiara Teague joined the middle blocker effort with two blocks of her own.
 
Libero Kate Lachendro compiled a team-high 17 digs. Lauren Weber was the third Rock player to reach double-digit digs with 11.
 
After taking the opening two sets from The Rock, Gannon seemed poised to complete the sweep of SRU when it opened up a 16-12 lead halfway through the third set. However, Slippery Rock rallied by scoring eight of the next nine points to take a 20-17 advantage.
 
SRU and the Golden Knights proceeded to trade points for much of the remainder of the set with the two evenly-matched teams eventually playing to a 24-24 tie before The Rock captured the final two points of the set courtesy of a Wheeler kill and a Gannon attack error.
 
Slippery Rock played Gannon tight for the majority of the fourth set, but with the score tied at 16-16 the Golden Knights went on a 4-0 run to open a 20-16 lead SRU could never comeback from as GU closed the match out with the 25-19 win.
 
For the match, Gannon held advantages over The Rock in attack percentage (.175-.021), Kills (46-32), aces (8-3) and total blocks (11-7). Lauren Sampson recorded 10 kills for the Golden Knights.
 
Slippery Rock closes out its three-match homestand 7 p.m. Oct. 19 against Mercyhurst University. SRU earned a three-set victory over the Lakers on the road earlier in the season.
 


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