Box Score The Loyola Wolf Pack haven't played since Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, returning to the court Thursday against the Bleu Devils
NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team opened its spring schedule Thursday night at Dillard, dropping a five-set contest to the Bleu Devils (20-25, 24-26, 25-22, 25-17, 15-6).
Loyola is now 2-4 overall this season, and it's scheduled to start Southern States Athletic Conference play at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, at William Carey.
Casey Aucoin and Camryn Costanza got a couple of early kills in the opening set to help Loyola take a 5-3 lead. Leading 8-7, Brittany Cooper had two of her four first-set kills to allow Loyola to grab a 12-8 lead, but Dillard tied the game at 12-12 moments later. Another kill by Cooper broke a 12-12 tie, then her serving helped the Pack pull away from the Bleu Devils to win the first set 25-20. Cooper recorded an ace during her serving stretch, making it a 17-12 lead, and she finished off the set with a kill.
Led by Cooper's four kills, the Wolf Pack had 17 in the opening game, as Emily Sheperis, Jordan Bernard, Aucoin and Costanza each had three kills.
Sherperis recorded a team-high five kills in the second set, including the game-winner to give Loyola a 2-0 match lead. The second set was a close one, as Dillard took a 17-16 lead midway through with Sheperis already recording three kills at that point. Trailing 20-18, Loyola called a time out then came out after the break and scored eight of the game's next 12 points to win the set 26-24. Cooper notched another ace to tie the game 22-22, then back-to-back kills by Bernard and Sheperis ended the game in Loyola's favor.
Loyola dug itself into an early hole in Set 3, falling behind 7-1 early. Trailing 16-11, the Wolf Pack went on a quick 6-3 run to cut the Dillard lead to 19-17. Loyola even got to within a point, 20-19, after Cooper recorded a kill, but the Bleu Devils held on, 25-22, to force a fourth set.
After Dillard forced a fifth set with a 25-17 fourth-set win, the Bleu Devils finished off the match by winning the fifth and final set 15-6. Attacking errors hurt the Wolf Pack in the final three games, committing 23 compared to Dillard's nine.
Pack Facts
Helene Masone recorded 10 digs in Thursday's contest, giving her 1,506 for her career. She's now 6th all-time in Loyola history.
Kailyn O'Neal notched a career-high 47 assists, besting her previous Loyola record of 26 assists set in the fall. She also had 12 digs against Dillard to earn her fifth double-double of the season.
Emily Sheperis led the Wolf Pack with 16 kills, and that's a new career-high for the freshman.
Brittany Cooper also tallied a double-double with 11 kills and 15 digs, and that's her second double-double this season.
Milabella Vasquez had 12 digs to capture a new season-high.
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