Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 After falling to the three-seed Bethel, the Wolf Pack bounced back with a 3-1 win over William Carey
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – In day one of pool-play at the 2018 SSAC Volleyball Championships, the Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team opened with a tough 3-0 loss to Bethel, before defeating William Carey 3-0 Thursday afternoon at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.
Game one of the day against third-seeded Bethel (20-7, 11-5) began with a back and forth first set. The Wolf Pack (17-20, 5-11) took an early advantage at 10-7 before the Wildcats tied it up at 10-all, one of 10 total draws in the first set alone. After reaching 18-18, bethel would score seven of the next 10 to take the 25-21 set win. After opening set two down 5-1, the Pack would climb back in and even the score at 12-12. However, the Wildcats took the win in set number two by the same 25-21 score before closing out the match with a 25-10 third set to win 3-0.
The Pack looked to bounce back with a win in game two of the day, facing the six seed William Carey (15-18, 8-8) for the second time in the past week. While Loyola came out with an 18-9 lead in the first set, the Crusaders would climb back and take the lead with 10-straight points. The two teams traded scores, however, William Carey would continue to roll and take a 1-0 lead.
To open the second set, the Crusaders would score first before a kill, block and second kill from Tylar Beckham would put the Pack up 3-1. Up 10-8, three straight kills from Beckham would extend the Loyola advantage to five, before eventually drawing the match at 1-1 with a 25-18 set win.
In the third set, the score opened up at 3-3 before William Carey rattled off a six-point run to go up 9-3. Trailing 12-5, the Wolf Pack climbed back into the set, with a trio of service aces from Maddie Huekels to eventually put the score at 12-10. In a competitive set, the score would reach a 22-22 draw before Loyola scored the last three points to take the match lead two sets to one.
With their eyes on the victory, the Wolf Pack took a commanding 12-6 lead to open the fourth frame, later taking a 20-10 advantage after scoring six-straight. With a block by Champagne Cunningham and Malea Howie, Loyola would take the 25-12 win, clinching their third set to take the 3-1 win.
"The numbers may not show it, but we fought hard against Bethel. We pushed them and had them on their toes. The girls did an amazing job of turning around and starting fresh for our match with William Carey. Tylar did some phenomenal things for us. Gaby and Malea also had a really strong match for us."
"Maddie made some great setting choices and ran an efficient offense. We played smart, aggressive volleyball and proved that seventh place isn't where we belong. We'll be anxiously waiting to see the results of tomorrow's matches to see what happens next."
Pack Facts
As the seventh seed in the tournament, the Wolf Pack's defeat of the six-seeded William Carey was the lone upset of the first day, which saw six total matches played.
Between both matches today Tylar Beckham registered 10 total blocks, giving her 145 on the year which ranks as the fifth-most in a season at Loyola.
The junior added a career-best 21 kills in the match against William Carey, topping her previous mark of 20, also set against William Carey in 2016.
Against William Carey, Maddie Huekels hit the 30-mark for assists in a game for the third time this season.
With 23 digs tonight, Helene Masone has now collected at least 450 digs in each of her two seasons with the Pack.
Maddie Huekels' four service aces tonight give her 192 for her career, the sixth-most in Loyola history.
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