GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- The Gwynedd Mercy Volleyball Team celebrated Senior Day and its lone senior, Laura Kirk on Saturday in a home tri-match with Marywood and Valley Forge. The Griffins would fall to the Pacers, 3-0, but rebound to score a 3-1 win over the Patriots to salvage a split on the day.

Against Marywood (25-19, 25-20, 25-19), Casey Griffith collected 10 kills while her and Kirk added nine digs apiece. The Griffins would lead 11-9 in set one, before the Pacers put together six-straight points to take the lead for good. The second set also started good for GMercyU, getting off to a 5-1 lead. Marywood would get it to 9-8 and tie it at 11-11. A 9-2 run by the Pacers would stretch their advantage to 21-16. Gwynedd could only get the lead to three before MU was able to take it, 25-20

In the third set, each team had key scoring runs to trade the lead. Marywood used seven-straight early on to turn a one-point deficit into a 9-4 lead. The Griffins would counter with a run of their own, a 9-2 spurt for a 15-11 edge. Leading 18-16, the Pacers would run away for good, thanks to a six-point swing to give them a 22-16 score and the eventual match clinching points.

Mallorie Deschaine led all attackers with 15 kills as the Pacers (7-14, 4-1 CSAC) totaled 34 kills.

Marywood would then go on to defeat Valley Forge, 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-13).

Prior to the day's final match, the team held a special ceremony to honor the career of Kirk with flowers and presents for her and her family.

Kirk would total a match-high 23 digs against the Patriots (25-12, 25-13, 18-25, 25-21) as Griffith and Jessica Behr each had 10 kills apiece. Griffith added 17 digs and four aces for her seventh double-double on the season.

The team hit nearly .200 in the first two sets, but in the third, the team never led and saw Valley Forge force a fourth game.

In that fourth set, Griffith came alive, totaling six kills while Behr added four to help GMercyU get out to a lead they would not relinquish.

Gwynedd Mercy continues its homestand on Tuesday when they welcome Albright in a special 6 p.m. start.