Box Score Loyola returns to The Den on Friday to square off against SSAC rival Martin Methodist at 6:00 p.m.
The Loyola University New Orleans volleyball took a step outside of conference play on Tuesday night when the squad welcomed NCAA DII opponent Spring Hill College to campus for a match inside The Den.
Entering the non-conference match at 12-13 overall, the Wolf Pack was looking to win its second-straight match after having defeated SUNO on Saturday. Conversely, The Badgers came to The Den with an impressive 22-3 overall mark and riding a five-match winning streak.
Despite a gritty effort by Loyola on its home floor, the Wolf Pack would suffer a sweep at the hands of SHC on Tuesday, marking the 14th time in a row that Loyola has fallen to the Badgers dating back to 2010.
Back-to-back Loyola attack errors handed Spring Hill the 2-0 advantage to start the opening set. The visitors were able to maintain that lead for the duration of the frame, managing to extend it to as much as six (23-17) in the waning moments. Facing set point, SHC's Emmarose Neibert found Katelyn Bobinger for a kill to give the Badgers the victory in the opening set, 25-18.
The second set saw both teams exchange the lead throughout until the Wolf Pack found itself just one point away from the win at 24-23. With Allison Weimer serving, SHC was able to score the next two-straight points to go up 25-24 before a kill from Tylar Beckham (SO/New Orleans, La.) knotted the set up again at 25-25. Neither side would surrender down the stretch as the frame would tie five more times overall. With the scoreboard stuck at 30-30, Spring Hill was able to record the final two-consecutive points to take the marathon set 32-30 and go up 2-0 in the match.
The Badgers tacked on the first point of the third set and never looked back. Loyola managed to knot the frame during the following play to make the score 1-1, but that would be as close to a lead as the home team would get for the duration of the match. Up 21-15, Spring Hill closed out the match on a 4-1 run to take set three 25-16 and the match 3-0 in this battle of Jesuit institutions.
Beckham, Malea Howie (SO/Greenwood, Ind.) and Beatriz Agosto (SO/Miami, Fla.) each notched eight kills on Tuesday to pace the Wolf Pack offense. Maddie Huekels (JR/Dyer, Ind.) logged a team-high 18 helpers in the loss while Sunni Blanchard (SO/Pierre Part, La.) chipped in 15 assists and six digs. Natavia Mitchell (JR/Austin, Texas) tallied seven kills off the bench for Loyola and Helene Masone (FR/Destin, Fla.) collected a team-best 11 digs from the libero position.
SHC's Katelyn Bobinger led all players with 14 kills while Niebert (19) and Hannah Fromdahl (15) combined for 34 of the Badgers' 36 assists on the night.
The Wolf Pack will look to right the ship on Friday, October 20, at home against Martin Methodist at 6:00 p.m.
