(Lycoming, Pa.) – The Dickinson women's volleyball team opened play at the Lycoming College Warrior Classic on Friday night. The Red Devils battled to the very end but fell to Misericordia, 3-2, in their first match. The teams played to a 16-14 fifth set tie-breaker to decide the match. They turned in a strong performance against host Lycoming as well, but dropped the nightcap, 3-1.

The Red Devils dropped the opening set against Misericordia, 25-17, but had a strong start to bounce back in the second, pulling in front 11-6. They held a 16-9 advantage and kept that margin at 18-11 after some great rallies.

Junior Anastasiya Khlopina (St. Petersburg, Russia) came up with a big block to put the Devils up, 21-13, and the Red Devils closed out the set, 25-16.

The third set went back-and-forth early on with the teams even at 10-10. Dickinson gained some separation at 15-11 with some outstanding play at the net and from the service line. The Devils went up, 19-13 and led 21-15 before the Cougars looked to make a run.

Misericordia cut the deficit to 23-20, but Dickinson earned the next two points to lead the match, 2-1.

The Cougars stormed out to an 8-3 start in the fourth set. Lauren Ahern (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West) served the Devils back even, 9-9. The teams traded runs to pull even at 15-15. Misericordia was able to pull in front and held off a rally by the Devils to force a fifth set, 25-22.

The final set saw a back-and-forth start as well and the teams played even throughout. The teams traded points down the stretch until Misericordia was able to string together scores to win the match with a 16-14 decision.

Ahern finished with five service aces to go with four kills and four digs. Norma Jean Park (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) led the attack with 16 kills, adding three aces and six block assists. Erin Bongo (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls) had a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs. She tallied three assists, two aces and two blocks as well.

First-year Alex Berezan (Surrey, B.C./Earl Marriott Secondary) handed out 33 assists, adding five kills, four aces, six digs and two blocks.

Senior Arielle Misrok (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley) recorded 22 digs, two assists and two aces, and first-year Jacqueline Banker (Rockaway Park, N.Y./Archbishop Malloy) reached double-figures with 12 digs.

The Red Devils went right into warm-up for the nightcap with host Lycoming College. The Warriors started off with a 4-1 advantage and stretched the margin to 12-5. Ahern broke up the run with a big kill from the left side.

The Warriors ran the lead to 15-7 before a rally by Dickinson cut the margin to 15-11. The hosts built the lead to 22-13 but the Devils would come back once again, 23-18. Lycoming held on to take the first set, 25-19.

Lycoming started off the second with another 4-1 clip. The Devils kept pace and rallied to take a 15-14 lead, forcing a timeout by Lycoming. The Warriors regained the lead but the Devils answered with huge blocks from Ahern and Khlopina, pulling in front, 19-18.

Ahern put away a big kill to give Dickinson set point at 24-21 and they evened the match with a 25-22 decision.

Lycoming jumped out to a quick, 7-1 start on the way to a 25-14 win in the third, taking a 2-1 advantage.

The Devils took a 4-1 lead this time and led 10-7 in the fourth set. The Devils were able to keep the advantage until Lycoming tied things up, 19-19. The Warriors broke a tie at 22, scoring three straight to claim the match.

Bongo recorded 13 kills while Ahern finished with 12 kills, three aces and three block assists. Misrok reached double-figures with 11 digs and Benezan tallied 28 assists, eight digs and two aces to go with three kills.

The Red Devils slip to 3-4 overall on the season. They return to action tomorrow morning, facing York College at 10:00 am and then square-off against Penn State Harrisburg at noon.