Loyola wins in five sets at Point

WEST POINT, Ga. – In a match that saw three sets go past the 25-point threshold, the Loyola Wolf Pack volleyball team outlasted Point University in five sets (30-32, 25-20, 24-26, 29-27, 15-10) for the team's sixth straight win. Trailing 2-1 in the match, Loyola was down 24-22 in the fourth set before battling back to win the final two sets. 
 

Loyola (17-4, 8-1 SSAC) now heads to Marietta, Georgia, for another Southern States Athletic Conference match on Saturday. First serve between the Pack and Life University (11-7, 7-1) is set for 1 p.m. CDT. 
 

After losing a close first-set loss, 30-28, the Wolf Pack evened the match win a 25-20 second-set win. The first three points of the second game came from attacks by Preslie Boswell, Amaya Bazemore and Simone Tyson, and Bazemore added a block early to give Loyola a 5-2 lead. Boswell notched two more kills to make it a 10-5 lead, then Juliana Pacini's first kill of the set maintained the Pack's advantage, 17-14. Three attacks by Emily Sheperis would help Loyola finish off the game. 
 

The Skyhawks came from behind in the third set to take a 2-1 lead in the match, but the Wolf Pack did the same in the fourth to force a decisive fifth set. Boswell and Tyson, again, got things going with their attacks, as well as Pacini recording a kill and an ace to give Loyola a 4-1 lead. Point and Loyola each had 4-0 runs to exchange the lead, but a separate 8-0 run by the hosts put the Skyhawks ahead 14-9. Tyson and Boswell got the score to within two, 14-12, then two more kills by Tyson helped Loyola tie it at 20-all. Trailing 24-22, Ellie Connor served an ace and Bazemore combined with Boswell and Alexa Palmer for two different block assists. Tyson then forced a fifth set with back-to-back kills.  
 

Point jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the final game, pushing its advantage to 7-5 before the Wolf Pack used a 5-0 run to take command of the match, 10-7. Boswell struck first with a kill, Bazemore and Boswell combined for a block, Sheperis found the floor on the attack, and two errors by Point gave Loyola the upper hand during that run. Sheperis and Pacini each had kills down the stretch, and Juliet Petruzelli added an ace to wrap up Loyola's win. 
 

Head Coach Jesse Zabal:

"Extremely proud of the grit and focus our team showed tonight. We had a long travel day yesterday that brought some unexpected challenges, but the team came in ready to go. We knew we'd have to be on top of our game against Point. They have some really strong players and played incredible defense.

We ebbed and flowed between really impressive moments and other moments where we seemed to lose focus just enough to not finish a play. It's something that happens often in this game - ebbs & flows, momentum swings - and it's important that we get the experience to fight it out and prove that we can come out on the winning side.

Ty had a strong offensive game for us and Mo just went all out on defense. Both of them attacked their individual roles with intent. I'm also really proud of our serving tonight. I believe there was a big push from the team to be aggressive, and Juliet came in towards the end of the match and set up some great moments for us to score points. We have another tough matchup tomorrow afternoon, but I know the team is looking forward to it."
 

Pack Facts

• Loyola is now 2-0 in five-set matches in the 2023 season. Overall, the team's 17-4 record is a program best through 21 matches. 

• Loyola's 29 points in Set 4 were the team's most in any set win this season. The team's 30 points in Set 1 were the most since September 2, 2022. 

• Four different Wolf Pack attackers reached double-digit kills, led by Simone Tyson, who finished the match with 19 kills and 11 digs. That's the most kills in one match for any member of the Pack this season. She also led the team with two service aces on Friday.

• Tyson's final kill number was just one under her career high of 20, set in the 2021 season. 

• Tyson has two double-doubles this season and 23 in her three years with the Pack. 

• Preslie Boswell was second on the team with 11 kills, while Loyola's middles Amaya Bazemore and Emily Sheperis each had 10 kills for the match. 

• Simone Moreau recorded 26 digs for the match, her third-highest dig total of the season. 

• Samantha Ingram led the team with 25 assists, her best mark of the season. 

• Ellie Connor set a new career high with 23 assists on Friday, plus 11 digs for her second double-double of the season. 

• Juliana Pacini posted 18 digs, her most in a Wolf Pack uniform. It was also the third-highest dig total of the graduate student's collegiate career.