The Misericordia University women's volleyball team dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 decision at two-time defending MAC Freedom champion Stevens, Wednesday night.

The Cougars took the first and third sets and led the finale, 13-11, before falling 16-14.

Fiona Pyfer kept up her solid play with a team-high 12 kills and six aces while Faith Merritt added nine kills and four aces.

Jenna Schuda had 28 assists, 13digs and three aces and Jessica Cleveland had 14 digs.

Shelby Hastings had five blocks and Sadie Stockslager had four.

The Cougars raced out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back in a 25-14 win in the opening set.  Pyfer had two kills and Schuda added a pair of aces in the early spurt.

Merritt had two kills and an ace and Pyfer added two kills as part of a 5-0 run that gave MU an 18-9 lead.

Stevens took an early lead in the second set and held on to win, 25-21.

Pyfer had a kill and an ace as the Cougars held off a late Stevens rally to win the third set, 25-23.

Stevens used an 8-0 run to take control of the fourth set and stay alive.

In the finale, the Cougars took advantage of five straight Stevens errors to take 5-3 lead.

A kill by Schuda and an ace from Annika Massa gave MU a 13-11 lead.

Stevens pulled even and the Cougars went back in front, 14-13, on an attack error, but the Ducks rallied for three straight points to clinch the victory.