Box Score The Wolf Pack returns to action tomorrow as the team hosts SSAC opponent Bethel University inside The Den at 12:00 p.m.
Looking to snap a five-match conference losing streak, the Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team welcomed Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) opponent Martin Methodist to The Den for a match on Friday night.
The Wolf Pack entered Friday's affair with a 2-7 mark in league play and having lost to the RedHawks (0-3) on the road back in September. On the flip side, Martin Methodist headed The Den having won 13 of its last 15 matches and sitting at No. 2 in the conference with an 8-1 mark in league play.
Despite being down 1-2, Loyola was able to dig down deep on Friday and rattle off victories in the final two sets to down the favored RedHawks 3-2 inside The Den. The win brings the Wolf Pack to 13-14 overall and 3-7 in the SSAC heading into tomorrow's battle against Bethel University at noon.
Up 1-0 in the match, Martin Methodist started the second set up 15-12. With Helene Masone (FR/Destin, Fla.) serving, the Wolf Pack was able to rattle off seven-unanswered points to grab the 19-15 advantage late. With the score at 20-17 in favor of Loyola, the home team used kills by Adelida Obioha (FR/New Orleans, La.) paired with two Kaitlynn Watson (SO/South Lake Tahoe, Ca.) service aces to outscore the RedHawks 5-0 down the stretch and claim the second set, 25-17.
Martin Methodist took set three 25-23 to go up 2-1 in the match and led for the majority of set four. Down 22-20, a kill from Tylar Beckham (SO/New Orleans, La.) would spark a 4-0 spurt for the home team to give Loyola its only lead of the set (24-22) and put the Wolf Pack just one point away from forcing another set. With the score at 24-23, Maddie Huekels (JR/Dyer, Ind.) found Obioha for a monstrous kill to hand the home team the 25-23 win in the set and push the contest to a final fifth frame.
The final set was a highly contested affair, as the score would tie five times down the stretch. With the score knotted at 14-14, Obioha would connect with both Beckham and Malea Howie (SO/Greenwood, Ind.) to cap off a 3-0 run for the Wolf Pack and seal the 16-14 match-clinching victory for the home team in set five.
Obioha led Loyola with 15 kills while Huekels notched a double-double with 26 assists and 15 digs to help power Loyola. Howie chipped in 13 kills and Blanchard added a double-double of her own with 14 assists and 14 digs in the win. Holding down the libero position, Helene Masone scooped a match-high 27 digs against the RedHawks to go along with three assists and a service ace. Beckham contributed nine kills on the day but her real contribution came on the defensive side of the ball as the junior shut down the net with eight total blocks.
Sydney Arnold paced the MMC attack with a match-high 42 assists and 10 digs in the loss.
