Pitt-Johnstown battled back from the brink to force a deciding final set, but couldn't finish the task in a 3-2 road loss to Edinboro on Saturday afternoon.

The Mountain Cats dropped to 16-8 (3-7 PSAC West) by way of a 25-14, 23-25, 16-25, 25-19, 7-15 decision. Pitt-Johnstown has pressed every team it has faced during conference play, but fell for the fourth time in five sets and the fifth time overall.

Lualis Alvarado paced the attack with a team-high 16 kills on a .250 hitting percentage to go along with seven digs. Ellie Zuro added 10 kills, and Caroline Knight asserted herself into the lineup with nine kills and nine digs.

Pitt-Johnstown fell behind 4-1 in the fifth set and never fully recovered. The Scots strung together a 5-1 run to build a 12-6 lead that proved insurmountable.

Three kills from Adiamar Beaz and two apiece from Alvarado and Knight helped the Mountain Cats sprint out to a 10-4 start to begin the fourth set. While they never trailed in the set from there, two clutch kills from Zuro aided in closing out the set.

Beaz dished out 44 assists and provided 14 digs, while Gabriella DeRenzo supplied a match-high 23 digs.

Pitt-Johnstown will host California (Pa.) on Friday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. in the Sports Center.