NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.- The Setters fell to the Warriors of Merrimack College 70-63 in Northeast-10 Conference action. Pace drops to 9-9 overall and 6-8 in the NE-10, while the Warriors improve to 8-11 and 5-9 in conference play.

The Warriors jumped out to an 11-2 lead in the first four minutes but the Setters answered with 10-0 run. Jonathan Merceus (Union, NJ/Union) (Union, NJ/Union) netted four points in the run, while Kai Smith (Upper Marlboro, MD/St. Mary's Ryken) (Upper Marlboro, MD/St. Mary's Ryken) gave the Setters the lead with a triple to put Pace in the lead at 12-11 with 12:47 left in the half. The teams traded points and leads the rest of the half as the Setters held a 30-29 lead at the break.

The Setters pushed their halftime lead to 36-31 but the Warriors rallied to tie the score at 41. Merrimack used a 9-0 run to pull ahead 50-41 with 9:40 left in the game. Pace rallied back as they took a lead on a Keon Williams (Hackensack, NJ/Hackensack/Iona College) (Hackensack, NJ/Hackensack/Iona College) free throw with 4:55 left in the game. The Warriors used an 11-2 run to stretch their lead to 67-58 with 1:52 on the clock. Merrimack hit free throws down the stretch to hold off a Setter rally.

For Pace, Merceus posted a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds along with three assists and three steals. Denzel Primus-Devonish (Riverdale, MD/St. John's College) totaled 14 points and three assists, while Smith netted 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Williams finished with 12 points and seven boards.

The Setters return home to face NE-10 foe Stonehill College for Alumni Day on Saturday, February 2 at the Goldstein Fitness Center at 3:30 pm.