Siena Volleyball held a 2-1 sets advantage, but did not execute as well down the stretch in dropping a tough five-setter to new NEC member Mercyhurst 15-25, 25-20, 26-24, 21-25, 9-25 to begin play in the Red Flash Classic played at the DeGol Arena in Loretto, PA, on Friday evening. 

The Saints (1-3) overcame an initial slow start to win successive sets largely behind the play of senior Olga Sawinska, who set a career high in kills in a single match with 15.  It was the most that the Warsaw, Poland native had since her freshman season when she tallied 13 kills versus Marist on November 13, 2021. 

Sawinska kept her consistent form as well, hitting .333 for the match, and notching double-digit kills in three of four matches to begin the 2024 campaign. 

Siena topped out at hitting. 270 as a team in the second set, dropped to .105 in the third set, but was salvaged by strong play at the net and behind the service line to give them the edge.

Siena fell behind 19-12 in the fourth set, but rallied to make it 22-20 after a kill by Sara Wagner and a Lakers' attacking error.  Mercyhurst's Paige Miller and Sarah Barnum each had a kill to push the lead back to four.  Wagner added one kill in the set before a service error by Wagner wrapped it. 

In the fifth set, the teams traded points out a 7-7 score, but Mercyhurst finished on an 8-2 run with two kills from Miller, three errors by the Saints and aces from Alyssa Krause and Abby Miller.  Miller had a game-high 20 kills to lead the Lakers (1-3). 

Wagner had 13 kills, nine digs and a pair of aces.  Claire Isaksen had 16 assists while Alandra Hasbrouck added 15 assists.  Amelia Robertson finished with 10 digs. 

The Saints were hurt by 13 service errors as a team.

Siena returns to action for two matches on Saturday when it continues play in the Red Flash Classic with matches scheduled against Penn at 12:30 p.m. and host Saint Francis (PA) at 6 p.m.