Bears Fall In Five Sets To Pacific

Friday, September 5

Statesboro, Ga.

3 p.m.

Mercer University

0-5,0-0SoCon

Pacific

3-1,0-0WCC

Mercer

Pacific

9/5/2025 1:23:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Kaylin Flukey, kaylin.flukey@live.mercer.edu

STATESBORO, GA. - The Mercer volleyball team dropped a five-set heartbreaker to Pacific in opening day of the Eagle Classic in Statesboro, Ga. The Bears went up 2-0 over the Tigers but Pacific pulled a reverse sweep to pick up their third win of the season.

The Bears tallied 57 kills (.224) with 77 digs compared to Pacific's 60 kills (.197) and 73 digs. Sophia Henry recorded the first Mercer double-double of the season with 12 kills and 15 digs. Destiny Nelson posted a season-high 14 kills on the afternoon. In the back row, Abbey Havrilla and Aubri Martin combined for 36 digs.

Mercer returns to Hanner Fieldhouse on Saturday, Sept. 6 for day two of the Eagle Classic to face UNC Wilmington in a 3 p.m. match.

MATCH SUMMARY
FINAL SCORE	Mercer 2, Pacific 3 (25-19, 25-21, 21-25, 21-25, 12-15)
RECORDS	Mercer 0-5, 0-0 SoCon; Pacific 3-1, 0-0 WCC
ARENA	Statesboro, Ga. (Hanner Fieldhouse)

MATCH REPLAY
SET 1 I 25-19	The Bears came out full of energy after Jessica Dunn started off the match with a sneaky dump. Mercer went up 9-5 after a kill from Charlotte Thompson, assisted by Sammi Bergjans. Pacific fought back within one point at the 12-13 mark but the Bears quickly pulled away after a four-point service run from Aubri Martin.
SET 2 I 25-21	The Bears took the energy from set one into set two with four different Bears recording three kills a piece. Both squads exchanged points the entire set until Mercer pulled away after a Sophia Henry kill to extend the lead 19-22.
SET 3 I 21-25	Mercer started off set three with a 5-0 lead off of a service run from Jessica Dunn. The Tigers found their momentum and went on a fife-point service run to close out set three.
SET 4 \| 21-25	Set four saw a set-high seven kills from Sophia Henry but the Tigers's offense fired back to record 14 kills on the set. Mercer tied it 19-19 after a kill from Henry but a few kills from Pacific carried them to a set five.
SET 5 \| 12-15	Mercer once again took the lead first 4-1 but Pacific quickly began to gain on the Bears, forcing multiple lead changes until Pacific took the lead 9-7. Emily Matias-Lopez went in to serve for the Bears and tied it up 9-9 with an ace but the Tigers continued to hold the momentum and ultimately took the match win.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
KILLS	Destiny Nelson (14), Sophia Henry (12), Sydney VanCott (9)
ASSISTS	Jessica Dunn (24), Sammi Bergjans (12), Aubri Martin (8)
DIGS	Abbey Havrilla (19), Aubri Martin (17), Sophia Henry (15)
BLOCKS	Sophia Henry (4), Joselyn Sanjurjo (4), Avery Wilks (4)
SERVICE ACES	Aubri Martin, Sammi Bergjans (2)

UP NEXT
Mercer returns to Hanner Fieldhouse on Saturday, Sept. 6 for day two of the Eagle Classic to face UNC Wilmington in a 3 p.m. match.

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