Box Score

ERIE – Senior Desiree Claxton registered her 34th career double-double with 17 kills and 14 digs, but 16 aces from the service line helped Mercyhurst outlast East Stroudsburg University in five sets on Friday evening. Set scores were 25-27, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23, 15-12.

Shelby Chesko had a match-high 23 kills, including back-to-back kills to clinch the match, and a .405 attack percentage for Mercyhurst (8-15, 3-9 PSAC). This was the second-straight year that the two teams have gone down to the wire, as the Lakers topped the Warriors (13-10, 4-8 PSAC) by a 19-17 final in the fifth set when they met at Koehler Fieldhouse last October.

ESU had yet another strong performance at the net, out-blocking the home side by a 12-1 margin. Senior Courtney Miller had a hand in two-thirds of those blocks, as she matched a career-high with eight block assists in the defeat. Claxton, sophomore Sam Dunphy and sophomore Jasmine Williams added four block assists apiece for the Warriors.

The advantage up front, however, was partially cancelled out by a 16-5 advantage for Mercyhurst in aces. Alyssa Zirnheld had seven of those aces to go along with 13 kills and 14 digs.

Sophomore Sarah Smith added her 11th double-double of the season with 10 kills and 11 digs for ESU, while senior Lydia Redman supplied a career-high 17 digs.

The Warriors trailed 7-4 in the decisive final set, but a 4-0 run, capped by an ace from junior Tina Predojevic, gave the visitors a one-point edge midway through the frame. The score remained knotted at 12-12 shortly afterwards, but the Lakers then sealed the win with three-consecutive kills.

ESU began the match facing a 24-23 deficit in the first set, but the Warriors won four of the next five points, capped by a block from Miller and Claxton to take the early 1-0 lead. ESU's other set win was also clinched on a block, as Dunphy and Williams teamed for the block assist in the third.

Both teams were strong offensively, as ESU's .228 attack percentage was just behind Mercyhurst's .233 output. Claxton's 17 kills were backed by a team-high .357 attack percentage.

The Warriors drop to 0-3 in five set matches this season. They will look to regroup on Saturday afternoon, when they play at Gannon in a match scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.