Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Loyola will remain in Tennesee tomorrow as the team squares off against Bethel University at 1:00 p.m.
Riding a four-match winning streak, the Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team headed to the Robert E. Curry Christian Life Center in Pulaski, Tennessee on Friday to participate in a tri-match against Martin Methodist and Trinity International.
The Wolf Pack struggled in its two matches on Friday as the team only managed to grab one set on the road en route to the 0-2 evening. With the losses, Loyola drops to 9-9 on the year and 2-3 in Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) matches. The Wolf Pack will stay in Tennessee tonight before heading to McKenzie to square off against Bethel University in a SSAC showdown at 1:00 p.m.
Match One: Martin Methodist 3 - Loyola 1
With Katelyn Wear serving, the Redhawks raced out to the 11-2 advantage to start set one. The home managed to keep the pedal down for the remainder of the set to claim the opening frame 25-16 thanks to an impressive .500 team hitting percentage.
Trailing 22-13, Loyola used kills from Adelida Obioha (FR/New Orleans, La.), Beatriz Agosto (SO/Miami, Fla.) and Lindsay Ulfig (SR/Saline, Mich.) to spark a 5-2 run to bring the Wolf Pack within six at 24-18. Keyanna Gayden (SR/Calera, Ala.) and Obioha teamed up for a block to bring the score to 24-19 before a Loyola service error on the following play would give the Redhawks the 25-19 victory in the second frame.
Set three was all Martin Methodist as the home team was able to build a huge 17-point lead throughout the duration. Up 24-9, the Redhawks used a Wolf Pack service error to take the set 25-9 and the match, 3-0.
Obioha, Agosto and Malea Howie (SO/Greenwood, Ind.) all notched five kills in the loss while Maddie Huekels (JR/Dyer, Ind.) dished out a team-high eight assists in the loss. Off the bench, Helene Masone (FR/Destin, Fla.) scooped a Loyola best seven digs and Sunni Blanchard (SO/Pierre Part, La.) chipped in six assists and five digs against the Redhawks.
Martin Methodist's Sabrie Sirmones led all players with 11 kills while Sydney Arnold paced the Redhawks attack with a match-high 31 assists.
Match Two: Trinity International 3 – Loyola 1
The Trojans began the opening set up 12-8 and built on that cushion thanks to a 5-0 run to bring the score to 17-8 in favor of Trinity International. Down nine, Loyola was unable to get cut the deficit to any more than seven over the remainder of the fame. Facing set point, a kill by TIU's Sam Brenneman handed the Trojans the opening win 25-15 in Pulaski.
The two teams tied twice to start set two before the Trojans orchestrated an 11-3 run to take the comfortable 17-9 cushion in the second frame. Despite Loyola's best effort to bounce back, TIU was able to hold on to its lead to win its second-straight set, 25-15.
Down 15-19 in set three, Loyola surged back with a 9-3 spurt to face set point at 24-22. The Trojans scored the next two points to knot the set at 24-24 before kills by Tylar Beckham (SO/New Orleans, La.) and Agosto would complete the Wolf Pack's come-from-behind victory in set three, 26-24.
A kill by Beckham put Loyola up 11-10 in set four but TIU quickly answered back to take the lead over at 14-13. The Trojans started to build the lead over the next few minutes thanks to a huge 8-1 run – putting TIU up 22-14 in set four. The Wolf Pack scored two points late but a kill by Madeline Decker would seal the 3-1 victory for the Trojans in Tennessee.
Howie powered the Loyola offense with 12 kills and Huekels dished out a team-high 16 assists. Beckham tallied nine kills in the loss and Blanchard dished 14 assists to go along with four digs off the bench.
