Box Score The Wolf Pack needed a first-set comeback, then cruised to the straight-sets win over the Gold Nuggets Saturday in The Den
NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola Wolf Pack volleyball team found themselves in an early first-set hole against the Xavier Gold Nuggets Saturday. They trailed for most of the opening game but eventually earned the 27-25 Set 1 win. After that, though, Loyola never trailed to its crosstown rival, defeating Xavier 3-0 (27-25, 25-18, 25-20) to open the season on a good note.
Xavier began the match by jumping out to a 7-1 lead over Loyola, but back-to-back kills by Brittany Cooper and Casey Aucoin got the Pack going. Emily Sheperis got her first two career kills to keep Loyola close, then Jordan Bernard had two straight kills to make it a 25-25 game. After a Xavier error, Bernard finished off the first set with a service ace.
Sheperis, Cooper and Aucoin had early kills in the second set to push Loyola's lead to 9-4, then Gracie Bailey served three straight aces to extend the advantage to 12-4. Bernard tallied three kills midway through the game to make it an 18-10 game, and back-to-back kills by Aucoin allowed the Pack to cruise to the 2-0 match lead.
Bernard recorded five of her game-high 13 kills in the third set, as Loyola started another game red-hot. With an 11-4 lead, however, Xavier cut the score to 13-12 quickly. Loyola scored the next five of six points to add a little cushion to the lead, then three kills by Cooper and two from Bernard finished off the match.
Loyola is back in action Saturday, Oct. 10, as it'll host Mobile and Dillard in The Den at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.
Pack Facts
Saturday marks the second consecutive win over Xavier, which hasn't happened for Loyola since the 2012 season. It was also the first straight-sets win over Xavier since Loyola's 3-0 win Nov. 3, 2014.
Jordan Bernard paced the Wolf Pack with 13 kills, earning herself a new career-high.
Kailyn O'Neal's debut for Loyola was a good one, tallying a double-double with 18 digs and 18 assists.
After leading the team in service aces as a freshman last season, Gracie Bailey had a team-high three aces against Xavier Saturday.
Brittany Cooper and Casey Aucoin each recorded nine and eight kills, respectively, and Emily Sheperis' seven gave four Wolf Pack players seven or more kills in the match.
The lone senior on the roster, Helene Masone recorded 15 digs on Senior Day. Dating back to last season, it's her 12th-straight game logging 15 or more digs, and her 16th-straight in double figures.
You can keep up with the Pack by following Wolf Pack Athletics on Facebook at Facebook.com/LoyolaWolfPack, Twitter and Instagram @LoyolaWolfPack, and by checking out our website at LoyolaWolfPack.com.
