Loyola opens SSAC play in dominant fashion

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Loyola Wolf Pack volleyball team is on the road this weekend to start Southern States Athletic Conference play, first earning a win over Stillman College Friday night. The Pack dominated the Tigers in three sets to improve their overall record to 10-3 (1-0 in SSAC). 
 

Loyola will stay in Alabama for another conference matchup on Saturday, traveling to the University of Mobile for a 1 p.m. contest at Pharr Gymnasium. 

Loyola jumped out to an early 8-1 lead thanks to two service aces from Simone Moreau and kills by Juliana Pacini, Alexa Palmer and Simone Tyson. Amaya Bazemore had a block during that stretch, too, and three aces by Samantha Ingram allowed the Pack to extend that lead to 15-2 before Stillman could win its third point. Preslie Boswell recorded a few kills to keep up the dominance, 17-4, then a combination of Bazemore, Palmer and Pacini put the first set away for the Wolf Pack. 

The second set stayed close in the beginning, as Loyola used a 6-0 run to take an 8-4 lead. Katy Hollingsworth saw her first action of the season and notched a couple of kills, and Juliet Petruzelli served a couple of aces, 13-7. Emma Fahy and Gabby Masiello also contributed to help make it an 18-11 lead. Gabrielle Hogge had her first two collegiate kills in the set as well, the second making it a 21-15 lead, as the Pack won the final six points to take a 2-0 lead in the match. 

Loyola closed out the match with a dominating third set. The Pack took a 4-0 lead and never looked back, as Fahy recorded a couple of kills and Moreau and Petruzelli each had service aces. Bazemore notched consecutive attacks to push the advantage to 10-1, and Alicia Simmons added another kill to make it 16-6. From there, Loyola cruised to its victory. 

Wolf Pack Head Coach Jesse Zabal

"Really proud of our group. It was definitely a full team effort, and I know they had a good time competing and supporting each other. It was great to see such high efficiency from our attackers. Amaya, Katy, and Emma had some great numbers from some smart and aggressive attacks. Juliet and Mo were strong at the service line for us. We're looking forward to getting back to it tomorrow against Mobile."
 

Pack Facts

• Loyola's hitting percentage of .375 for the match was the team's best of the season. The Pack also recorded a hitting percentage of .615 in the opening set, which is also the team's best in an individual set this year. 

• Emma Fahy and Amaya Bazemore tied for the team high with seven kills apiece. Fahy, who had no attacking errors and a .538 hitting percentage, tied her career high in kills for a match. 

• In her first match with the Pack, Katy Hollingsworth put up five kills in just nine attempts with no errors. 

• Freshman Gabrielle Hogge also did well in her Wolf Pack debut with five kills, three digs, and one block. 

• Loyola's 13 service aces were the team's most in any match this season. Juliet Petruzelli and Simone Moreau each served up four aces while Samantha Ingram had three. 

• Moreau also led the team in digs with nine, while Petruzelli had seven, a new career high.  

• Ingram had a team-high 18 assists, while Gabby Masiello and Ellie Connor each had five.