Box Score
Maura Brehl finished with a career-high 21 kills and two blocks to help the Pitt-Johnstown volleyball team erase a 2-sets-to-1 deficit and defeat host Mercyhurst University in five sets at Saturday's PSAC Crossover in Erie.  Pitt-Johnstown made it five straight wins and improved to 9-2 overall and 3-0 in the PSAC.
 
The Lady Cats took the first set 26-24, but the Lakers answered with 25-23 and 25-21 wins.  However, facing elimination, Pitt-Johnstown won the fourth set 25-14 and closed it out with a 15-8 victory in the fifth set.
 
Mercyhurst used a service from Haley Adams and a Pitt-Johnstown attack error to double-up the Lady Cats 12-6 in the early going of the opening set.  Pitt-Johnstown clawed back to tie it at 20 on Mahony's kill and take a 22-20 lead on two straight errors by the Lakers.  Mercyhurst then staved off three straight set points, before Cambria Wierman's ace gave the Lady Cats the 25-24 win.
 
Mercyhurst took a 16-13 lead in the second set, before an 8-2 Pitt-Johnstown run, capped by Brehl's kill, put the Lady Cats back on top 21-18.  However, Mercyhurst scored seven of the next nine points to secure the 25-23 win.
 
Pitt-Johnstown started the third set fast and climbed out to a 14-9 lead, but Mercyhurst came back to regain the lead 16-15 on an Abby Rose ace and a Pitt-Johnstown error.  Another kills by Adams increased the Lakers' lead to 22-19, and the Lakers went on to the 25-21 win.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Lady Cats came out and took control of the next two sets to win the match.  Pitt-Johnstown broke a 6-6 tie in the fourth set with a 13-5 run and went on to a 25-14 win on kills from Marissa Erminio and Brehl to keep the match going.
 
It was all Lady Cats in the deciding set.  Pitt-Johnstown got kills from Kendall Mahony, Larissa Swank, and Erminio to race out to a 9-3 advantage.  Mercyhurst got as close as 13-8, but two more kills from Brehl gave Pitt-Johnstown a 15-8 win and ended the match.
 
Along with Brehl's career-match, Mahony had 15 kills and a career-high nine blocks, while Erminio had 12 kills and five digs, and Cambria Wierman added 10 kills and nine digs for the Lady Cats.
 
Pitt-Johnstown also got 33 set assists and 14 digs from Allison Mondorff and 22 assists and 11 digs from Jessica Dillon.  Devan Orr finished with a match-high 34 digs for Pitt-Johnstown.
 
Lauren Kenny and Adams each had nine kills for the Lakers, who dropped to 6-8 overall and 1-2 in the PSAC.