ERIE, Pa. (Oct. 2) – The Vulcans opened Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play with a 3-0 loss (20-25, 21-25, 23-25) at Mercyhurst on Friday night.

With the loss, the California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team falls to 6-9 this season and 4-1 in overall league play. The Vulcans have now lost to the Lakers at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center three times in the last four years. Meanwhile, Mercyhurst improves to 8-8 overall with a 3-2 mark in conference action.

Sophomore Ashley Leto (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) paced the team with 14 kills and 12 digs for her fifth kill/dig double-double of the season. Senior Miranda Fouzie (Kingston, Ontario/Sydenham) and freshman Emily Bucklin (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) each added five kills with Fouzie posting a .333 hitting percentage.

Junior Megan Litoborski (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) guided the offense with 18 assists and added 11 digs for her ninth assist/dig double-double of the year. Sophomore Emily Berry (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) also posted 10 digs against the Lakers, as the Vulcans featured three players with double-digit digs on Friday,

After dropping the opening two points in the first set, the Vulcans mounted a 9-5 run to take a 9-7 lead. The teams later traded runs of three-straight points with Cal U taking a 15-12 lead on a kill by senior Mary Lavery (La Plata, Md./La Plata). The Lakers then recorded a 9-2 run to take a 21-17 lead before the Vulcans won back-to-back points. However, Mercyhurst claimed a 25-20 victory in the first set after claiming four of the final five points.

Cal U opened the second set by winning five of the initial six points before Mercyhurst rallied to eight of the next nine points to take a 9-6 lead. The teams then traded the next 12 points with the teams rotating runs of three-straight points with the Lakers holding a 15-12 lead. The Vulcans answered with a 7-4 run to tie the score at 19-19 following back-to-back service aces by Leto. Mercyhurst then won six of the next eight points to earn a 25-21 win in the second set.

The Vulcans collected seven-unanswered points early in the third set to take a 7-2 lead on a kill by junior Danielle Hayes (Erie, Pa./McDowell). Mercyhurst later won seven of eight points to take a 13-12 lead before building a 17-14 lead following four-straight points. The teams traded the next six points before Cal U earned six of the next eight points to take a 23-22 lead. The Lakers completed the sweep by winning three-consecutive points to close the third set with a 25-23 victory.

Cal U continues its weekend in Erie, Pennsylvania, tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 3, when it faces Gannon at 2 p.m.