Box Score The Wolf Pack are now 5-3 in conference play with another SSAC matchup set for Saturday
PULASKI, Tenn. – In the first of three matches this weekend, the Loyola Wolf Pack played a close four-set match with the Martin Methodist RedHawks Friday, but they fell 3-1 (25-22, 25-19, 23-25, 25-23) to start the weekend.
Loyola is now 11-13 overall and 5-3 in Southern States Athletic Conference play, as a league match with Faulkner University looms Saturday.
Loyola and Martin Methodist battled for the lead early in the first set, but the RedHawks pushed ahead 10-4 after a 6-0 run. The Wolf Pack couldn't get to within three points of the RedHawks until a late 7-2 run to cut the lead to 23-21. Martin Methodist, however, finished off the opening game 25-22.
Malea Howie had six of the team's 13 kills in the set, and two came during the run that put Loyola within striking distance.
The two teams played an extremely close second set until the RedHawks pulled away late to take a 2-0 match lead. Loyola and Martin Methodist had 13 ties and four lead changes in a 16-16 game, then the host team scored the next five of seven points to help win the set 25-19.
The Wolf Pack got on the board after a dramatic 25-23 third-set win. Besides two ties early in the game, Loyola trailed for the majority of Set 3. In fact, it trailed by as much as five points before making a rally. Loyola tied the game three times late before taking the 24-23 lead, then it held on for the win.
The RedHawks finished off the match with a 25-23 win the fourth game. Again, the two teams played close throughout most of the set, but Martin Methodist took a 14-13 lead and kept a multi-point advantage for the rest of the game.
The Wolf Pack is set to play two matches on Saturday in Montgomery, Alabama. First, they'll play an SSAC match with Faulkner at 11 a.m., then Loyola will match up with non-conference foe Talladega College at 1 p.m.
Pack Facts
Champagne Cunningham's streak continued Friday night. After totaling nine kills against Martin Methodist, the senior has now recorded five or more kills in 12 straight matches.
Malea Howie played in her 138th career match Friday, which puts her tied for eighth in school history. Howie also had a team-high 13 kills, and it's the ninth time this season she's hit double figures.
After earning a season-high 23 assists in the last match, Sunni Blanchard tied her career-best against the RedHawks Friday with 28 assists.
For the sixth straight match, Gracie Bailey notched two service aces. That now brings her season total to 27, which ranks her tied for 21st in the NAIA.
Brittany Cooper tallied a season-high 17 digs while also picking up 11 kills for her 11th double-double of the season.
Dallis Brown's 14 digs was the fourth time this season the freshman has reached double-digits in digs.
