Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa. – Immaculata University's volleyball squad dropped a hard fought five-set thriller on Tuesday night to visiting Misericordia University, 3-2 (23-25, 26-24, 25-22, 19-25, 15-13), in non-conference action.
 
Gabrielle Guerrera paced the team with 17 kills, while Arden Vizzard added 14 kills, 17 digs, two blocks and three assists. Olivia Zdradzinski chipped in 35 assists to go along with seven kills and 13 digs. Shelby Belk and Tess Kieffer each finished with six kills, and Belk made six digs.
 
Madi Curley posted 17 digs, six assists and three service aces, while Molly Truitt also had 17 digs and three aces. Olivia Carter finished the night with 16 digs and two aces.
 
Immaculata (1-2) was able to pull out the win in the first set. The teams were back-and-forth all set and tied at 18-18. The Mighty Macs got a four-point swing thanks to kills from Vizzard and Kieffer, block by Nicole Taylor and Kieffer and Cougar attack error to make it 22-18 in favor of the hosts. However, Misericordia was able to get back in the set by stringing together three straight points before IU closed it out with kills from Kieffer and Guerrera.
 
The second set had much of the same flow as the first set, and Immaculata eventually pulled in front, 22-19. The Cougars were able to win five of the next six points to gain set-point on the Mighty Macs, 24-23. Guerrera spoiled it with a kill to even it back at 24-all, but Misericordia took the next two points to even the match at 1-1.
 
Misericordia (2-3) took a 14-8 lead in the early going of the third set. Immaculata wouldn't go down easy as it won six of the seven ensuing points to trail by just one point, 15-14. Vizzard had two kills, Kieffer and Guerrera each had one kill, and Kieffer, Vizzard and Taylor all came up with blocks during the run.
 
After the Cougars extended with lead to five (20-15), the Mighty Macs were able to take advantage of Misericordia errors while getting kills from Guerrera and Vizzard and a Carter service ace to tie the third set at 21-21. Following a 22-22 score, Misericordia won the final three points.
 
Immaculata came out determined in the fourth set and trailed just one time the entire set. The Cougars won back-to-back points to take a 10-9 edge, and the Mighty Macs responded by winning the next four points. Immaculata later held a 17-14 lead and was able to extend it to 22-14 with two Guerrera kills, Curley service ace and solo block by Belk. The Mighty Macs got to set point at 24-16, and despite the Cougars winning three points, Immaculata closed it out, 25-19, to send it to the fifth set.
 
The two teams fought back and forth for every point during the fifth set, and were tied at 8-8. The Mighty Macs then capitalized on two kills from Guerrera and one from Belk to take a three-point edge, 11-8. Immaculata still maintained the lead at 13-11, when Misericordia earned the side-out and finished the match on a four-point run.
 
Immaculata closes out its opening home stand on Thursday night hosting Penn State Berks at 7 p.m.