While fighting hard to maintain momentum, Mercyhurst’s volleyball team struggled to hold on.

The two contests this past weekend that wrapped up the season both saw the Lakers finish short with 3-2 final scores. In the last five games of the season, the Lakers were able to pull out one win against Bloomsburg University, with a score of 3-1.

Despite having this win behind them, the final four games proved to be losses for the Lakers. The Lakers fought fiercely against Gannon University but to no avail, losing 3-0.

Gannon finished as the No. 1 school for the Northwest division in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

“Our last few games were really tough matches. We all really came together and played our best game,” junior Mary Marusza said. “Even though we lost, I’m really proud of this team and all of our hard work. Our season definitely did not go the way we were expecting, but we are really looking forward to next year. Our record of 10-21 definitely does not accurately depict this team.”

The first of the last games was at Edinboro University, where the Lakers took on the Fighting Scots. The Scots, who finished the season at 14-14, managed to beat the Lakers in the first two sets 25-18 and 25-15. It was during the third game that the Lakers would turn it around and deliver 25-16 and 27-25 challenges to the Fighting Scots. The fifth set, though, ended in a 15-11 final for the Fighting Scots, who took the match as a result.

The final game of the season saw the Lakers travel to Slippery Rock University (11-16). In this contest, it was the Lakers who were on the cusp of victory after the first two sets of the match. With 25-16 and 25-17 scores over Slippery Rock, the Lakers led 2-0.

Unfortunately, Slippery Rock came back and delivered back-to-back 25-18 victories over the Lakers, culminating in a 15-9 fifth set to win the match.

To sum up their season, the Lakers fought hard, trained and always maintained a winning spirit. The Lakers end the season with a final record of 10-21.

“We had a lot of close games that could have gone either way. I think we’re all really motivated to make playoffs next year, and I know we are capable of it,” Marusza said. “We are all ready to work hard this spring season and do whatever it takes to get better. We have a strong senior class for next year and a lot of younger talent that will help us a lot next year.”