ERIE, Pa. - Jayci Suseland and Lindsey Blevins combined for 24 kills and just three hitting errors, and Millersville opened Saturday's PSAC match against Mercyhurst with a first-set win. The homestanding Lakers, however, rallied to win the next three sets and top the Marauders, 3-1 (20-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-22). 

Millersville (14-6, 4-3 PSAC) out-hit Mercyhurst (12-6, 6-1 PSAC) .214 to .210, but Mercyhurst had three players with double-digit kills, including Alyssa Zirnheld, who totaled a match-high 18. It was Millersville's third road match in as many days while Mercyhurst had played just twice--both at home--in that same span. 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• The Marauders won a closely-contested first set with a strong finish. Millersville held a 21-20 advantage and then scored the final four points of the set, using a kill from Chyna Gubbings, a block by Haley Butler and Suseland and a pair of Laker attack errors. Millersville fiinished the first set with 12 kills to two errors. 
• The Lakers, however, never again trailed. Millersville managed just seven kills in the second set loss. In the third, Millersville trailed by as many as seven points but rallied to within one at 20-19 after a Butler kill. Mercyhurst responded with three consecutive points and closed the set with five points on the final six rallies. It was a similar story in the fourth set as Millersville trailed 23-17 before closing to within two after kills from Gubbings and Suseland, an ace from Rebecca Dalstad and a Mercyhurst error. A service error on the next serve put Mercyhurst at match point, and the Marauders could delay it just once. Katie Baird closed the Lakers' win with a kill. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Mercyhurst totaled at least 13 kills in all four sets. 
• Suseland recorded 12 kills to one error on 28 swings. Blevins totaled 12 kills and two errors on 45 swings. Blevins also added 11 digs. Katie Laughman totaled 37 aces and 12 digs. 
• Four Marauders finished with double-digit digs. Kat Forry led the team with 20 digs. 

COACH BRIAN SMITH'S THOUGHTS
• "It was a long and challenging weekend. Traveling to Erie and playing three days in a row when your opponents play twice and at home is not easy."
• "The team started well today. We passed well in set one and seemed to be off to a strong start. I thought Mercyhurst made some good adjustments and started to slow our offense down a little. The team battled and the point differential for the whole match was only seven points. I think Mercyhurst had an edge on their defensive play. 
• "We learn and move on from here. We have a pod match on the road on Tuesday so we need to recover and get back at it."

NOTES
• Emily Hoffman has recorded double-digit digs in three of the last four matches. 
• Mercyhurst is 14-3 all-time against Millersville. Since Mercyhurst joined the PSAC in 2008, Millersville has beaten Mercyhurst once.

UP NEXT
• Millersville opens play against the PSAC Southeast Division on Tuesday at West Chester.