Greenville, S.C. – Nicole Mack registered her seventh double-double of the season, while setting a new career-high in kills, as the Furman volleyball team won its third match in a row on Friday evening after defeating the Mercer Bears 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 25-22, 16-25, 15-8) at Alley Gymnasium.

Furman improves to 4-15 on the season and 4-4 in SoCon play while Mercer falls to 9-11 overall and 2-5 in the conference.

The first set featured a total of nine ties with seven coming in the opening 16 points. Mack evened the score at 8-8 early with her kill. After the Bears went ahead 13-10, the Paladins recorded four of the next five points to make the score 14-14 behind Courtney Hoffman's kill. Mercer would then go on a 7-3 run to take its largest lead of the set at 21-17. Furman rallied back to within one point, 22-21, following a 4-1 run capped by a combination block from Hoffman and Gabby Howard. The Bears scored the final three points for the 25-21 victory.

Mercer jumped out to an early 6-2 lead in the second set after Alexia Morey and Brittany Major combined for a block. The Paladins came back with an 11-4 run and led 13-10 when Neci Harris recorded a kill. Furman continued the run and held its largest lead of the set, six points, when a Bears attack error made the score 19-13. Mercer got as close as two points twice with the last coming at 23-21 on Jaida Howell's kill. A Bears attack error and kill by Mack gave the Paladins the 25-21 win.

The third set saw the score tied a total of 10 times. Mercer led for a majority of the opening stages before Hoffman gave Furman a 13-12 lead after her kill. The Bears took a two-point lead twice late as a Paladin attack error gave them a 20-18 advantage. Furman then scored three straight points to go ahead 21-20 off a bad set. Furman collected the final three points, capped by a kill from Lydia Morris, to win 25-22.

Mack put the Paladins in front 4-3 early in the fourth set after connecting on a kill. Mercer answered with a 9-2 run to take a 12-6 lead after a Furman attack error. The Paladins got as close as four, 14-10, off a kill from Harris. The Bears outscored Furman 11-6 the rest of the way to secure the 25-16 victory.

The Paladins started the fifth set on a 6-1 run and led by five off a Mercer attack error, forcing the Bears into a timeout. Mercer was later forced to use its final timeout of the set when Furman took a 10-4 lead on another kill by Harris. Mack and Hoffman teamed up for back-to-back kills to give the Paladins the 15-8 set win and 3-2 match victory.

Mack's career-high 22 kills led Furman offensively and recorded her team-leading seventh double-double of the season after contributing 11 digs. Hoffman added 13 kills and hit .385 for the match. Katie Murphy dished out 41 assists while Andrea Aceveda led all players with a match-high 17 digs.

Morey and Major both had a team-high 14 kills for the Bears. Major (14 kills, 14 digs) and Annie Karle (12 kills, 10 digs) each recorded a double-double. Nya Steele tallied 48 assists and Megan Smith 16 digs.

The Paladins finished the match holding an 11.0-6.0 advantage over Mercer in total team blocks.

Furman begins a four-match road trip next weekend, October 25-26, traveling to East Tennessee State and Western Carolina.