SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University volleyball team rebounded Saturday with one of its most convincing victories in recent memory, as the Raiders posted a straight-set victory over Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Northwest Division opponent Mercyhurst by scores of 25-12, 25-13 and 25-10 from Heiges Field House.
 
Shippensburg (16-4, 8-1 PSAC) more than recovered from a Friday straight-set loss to Gannon by hitting .349 and committing just six attack errors – its fewest in a match since 2015. The Raiders also matched a season-high with 12 aces and recorded 12 blocks – its second-most in a match this season.
 
After a slow start in which the two teams combined for five service errors on the first 12 points, SU led 11-10. The Raiders then erupted for a 6-1 run and later closed the opening set on an 8-0 run – scoring the final seven points off the service of senior Gabriella Johnson.
 
It was not close in the final two sets. SU took a 15-5 lead in the second, including separate 4-0 service runs for senior Megan Forstburg and junior Gianna Sigado. The Raiders opened the third set with a six-point service run from Forstburg and led 14-2 before ultimately prevailing.
 
Mercyhurst (13-7, 5-4), a squad that has taken sets from both Wheeling and Shepherd this season, managed just 19 kills and had 20 errors – resulting in a -.011 hitting percentage. No Laker had more than four kills. It is the first time that SU has held a PSAC opponent in the negative since October 30 of last season when UPJ hit -.095.
 
Shippensburg had a whole host of contributors in the win. Senior Kendall Johnson hit 12 kills without an error, posting a .667 hitting percentage, and had five block assists. Gabriella Johnson had 10 kills, six digs and four block assists; senior Samantha Webber had three kills and four block assists, while junior Alana Pergine contributed four kills without an error.
 
Junior Emily Hangen had 30 assists, five digs, three blocks and a pair of kills. Sigado and freshman Rachel Verhoef each finished with multiple kills.
 
Forstburg and Gabriella Johnson each had three aces, while Hangen and redshirt-freshman Syera McCormick each had two. Junior Jordan Skoff recorded her first career ace. Freshman Oyinda Agbale had a kill and a solo block.
 
Shippensburg wraps up Homecoming weekend at 1 p.m. tomorrow with a matchup against Edinboro from Heiges Field House.