Box Score The Misericordia University volleyball team dropped a heartbreaking, five-set match to DeSales in a thrilling Freedom Conference contest, Tuesday night in the Anderson.

After taking the opener, 25-21, the Cougars lost two straight before an impressive 25-16 win to force a decisive match.

DeSales rallied for an 18-16 in the finale.

The teams are now tied for second in the Freedom (5-1) with one regular season match remaining.

Meghan Stack (26) and Shelby Brochetti (24) combined for 50 kills to lead the Cougars while Nicole Tagerty had 42 assists.

Paige Shaughnessy had 11 kills and Kellyn Swanson had seven kills and five blocks.

Tagerty opened the first set with an ace and the Cougars built a 10-6 lead.

DeSales battled back and eventually pulled even, 17-17.

Stack's dink gave the Cougars the lead for good and her ace put MU ahead, 20-17.

Leading 22-21, Nicole Collins' kill made it 23-21 and Lexi Giannone followed a DeSales' attack error with an ace to end the set.

The Cougars grabbed another early lead in the second set and Swanson's ace put MU up, 10-6.

DeSales rallied to take a 13-12 lead and Shaughnessy hit through two blockers to tie it, 13-13.

The Bulldogs went ahead 21-16 and scored the last two points for a 25-20 win.

Misericordia jumped out to an 11-6 lead on four consecutive kills by Stack, but the Bulldogs answered with a 6-0 run to go up, 12-11.

Shaughnessy had two kills and Brochetti had one to give MU a 16-13 lead.

Shaughnessy beat two blockers on the right side for an 18-17 lead, but DeSales scored six consecutive points and held off a late MU rally to win 25-22.

Brochetti had three straight kills as the Cougars took control of the fourth set, 18-12.

Brochetti and Shaughnessy both had kills and Giannone's ace made it 21-13.

Swanson and Brochetti teamed for a block and Swanson closed the set with a kill in the back right corner.

DeSales used an ace to take an 8-5 lead in the finale, but Stack ignited a 7-0 spurt with a smash down the left side.

Collins and Stack combined for a block and Stack tied with a cross court kill from the left side.

Back-to-back kills by Stack and Brochetti sandwiched by DeSales errors gave the Cougars a 12-8 lead.

The Bulldogs answered with five straight points to take a 13-12 lead.

Stack ripped a shot down the middle to tie it and Brochetti's blast down the left side gave the Cougars a 14-13 lead.

Tied 14-14, another Brochetti kill gave the Cougars the advantage, but Bulldogs again staved off elimination.

Shaughnessy's kill put the Cougars in front, 16-15, but DeSales scored three straight points to win, 18-16.