Box Score The Wolf Pack also remain undefeated at home after defeating Middle Georgia in three sets
NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team hosted Southern States Athletic Conference foe Middle Georgia State Saturday in The Den, securing a victory after a full five sets of action (25-17, 24-26, 25-15, 20-25, 15-10).
The Wolf Pack (5-4, 3-0 SSAC) are undefeated at home this season, and the team won its first three conference matches for the first time since Loyola became a member of the SSAC in 2010.
Loyola gained momentum early in the match, scoring six-straight points on Casey Aucoin's serve to go up 7-3. The Knights kept it close, however, and the score was 18-17 later in the set. The Pack closed out the opening period with a 7-0 run to win it 25-17. Brittany Cooper, Jules Mokry, and Emily Sheperis each totaled four kills in the frame.
In the second set, Middle Georgia seized momentum early, going up 5-1 before Loyola eventually chipped away and tied it 10-10. The second period saw 13 ties and seven lead changes before the Knights were able to eventually pull away, winning a close set two 26-24.
The third frame saw Loyola return to form, with the home team scoring four straight on Kailyn O'Neal's serve. The Knights then answered with a 5-0 run of their own to lead 5-4. The visitors kept the game close for a while, and they trailed by just one point, 9-8. Then, the Pack took over, out-scoring the Knights 16-7 for the remainder of the period and winning it 25-15.
Casey Aucoin started the scoring in the fourth frame with a kill, but once again Middle Georgia battled back to even the set score at 2-apiece, winning the fourth by a score of 25-20.
The fifth set was all Loyola, as the home team did not trail in the deciding period. Emily Sheperis accounted for six points in the set with two blocks and four kills as the Wolf Pack won 15-10 to clinch the match.
Wolf Pack Head Coach Jesse Zabal
"This morning wasn't our best showing, but they found a way to finish the match with a win. One of the positives to come from today is that when we struggled, we could make some small changes and pick up a little momentum. We didn't serve as well as we had hoped and that really put us in a position to have to be 100% on top of our defensive game. Brittany Cooper proved to be a great choice for us on offense and our middles, Emily (Sheperis) & Casey (Aucoin) also attacked the ball very well today. Both of our setters are still posting great numbers and spreading the ball to our hitters, as well as being a key part of our defense. This is our first 3-0 conference start since joining the SSAC in 2010, just one more step towards reaching our ultimate goals."
Pack Facts
Loyola has won six straight against Middle Georgia, dating back to the 2017 season.
Emily Sheperis is off to a great start in the spring season. Since the season resumed, she's reached double figures in kills in three-straight contests. Her 17 kills Saturday are a new career high, as is her hitting percentage of .419.
Sheperis also led the Wolf Pack in blocks on Saturday with three.
Brittany Cooper tied with Sheperis for the game-high in kills, also logging 17.
Many of those kills were set up by Gracie Bailey, who notched a career-best 29 assists. With 13 digs, Bailey also collected her third double-double of the season.
Kailyn O'Neal also logged a double-double: 20 assists, 19 digs. That's her seventh of the season.
Helene Masone's had a productive day at libero with 25 digs and 6 assists.
After matching a career best with six aces on Friday, Casey Aucoin served four more aces Saturday, a game high. She also had seven kills and two blocks.
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