Wolf Pack wins third straight

NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team made it three wins in a row with a straight-sets victory over the Xavier Gold Nuggets on Tuesday. It's the Wolf Pack's second straight win over their crosstown rival as well after winning a five-set match at XULA last season. 
 

The early going of the opening set featured back-and-forth play to bring the score to 10-9 in Xavier's favor. Six different Wolf Pack attackers recorded a kill, including two each from Amaya Bazemore and Clarissa Dupree to help the Wolf Pack stay close, however, the Gold Nuggets extended their advantage to 17-12 moments later. That's when Loyola started its run, though, winning eight of the next 10 points to go ahead 20-19. Samantha Guillotte notched two of her five first-set kills and Bazemore served an ace to give the Pack the momentum. Guillotte picked up two more kills down the stretch to give Loyola the 1-0 lead in the match. 
 

Simone Moreau had nine of her team-high 17 digs in that set to help keep several points alive for the Loyola attackers. 
 

Loyola continued its solid play in the second set. Attacks by Preslie Boswell and Dupree got the Wolf Pack started early, then an ace by Gabriella Masiello made it a 5-2 lead. Leading 12-9, Loyola scored six straight thanks to kills by Bazemore and Alexa Palmer, as well as two more aces from Masiello. Natalie Burkholder recorded her first kill, 22-13, and Guillotte finished things off with an ace. 
 

Bazemore's attack put the Pack on the board to start the third set, but the visitors were still able to jump in front, 6-3. Guillotte found the floor three times on two kills and an ace to tie it, 7-7, but Xavier pushed out in front again, 13-9. An ace by Ellie Connor got Loyola to within one, 15-14, and Dupree tied it, 16-16, with her third kill of the set. The two teams would trade a couple of points from there, as a setter dump by Masiello nodded the score again, 20-20, and that sparked a 4-0 run to give Loyola the edge for good. Guillotte, Palmer and Bazemore all recorded kills during that final stretch, and Juliet Petruzelli served an ace to help complete the sweep. 
 

The Wolf Pack will head back to Georgia this weekend for a make-up contest against Brewton-Parker. Originally scheduled for last Saturday, first serve of this Saturday's Southern States Athletic Conference matchup with the Barons is set for 12 p.m. CDT. 
 

Wolf Pack Head Coach Jesse Zabal

"That was a really fun win. I am incredibly impressed with how we performed tonight. We started the first set a little rocky, but I saw a resiliency and focus that allowed us to take control of the set, and really, the match. We needed to feel that to know that we have it in us. A lot of credit to Coach Robbie tonight. He's been working incredibly hard with our blockers and defensive systems to make sure we're defensively sound, and it felt like it all came together tonight."
 

Pack Facts

• Gabriella Masiello filled up the box score while posting her team-leading fourth double-double of the season: 16 assists, 10 digs, three service aces, and two kills. 

• Ellie Connor was right behind with 15 assists, seven digs, and an ace. 

• Simone Moreau's 17 digs led the team.

• Clarissa Dupree had over twice as many kills as any Xavier attacker, finishing with 12 kills on a .281 hitting percentage. 

• Amaya Bazemore was also in double figures with 10 kills, plus two aces, two assists, two digs, and two blocks.  

• After serving three aces against Middle Georgia on Friday, Samantha Guillotte did it again on Tuesday against Xavier. She also had seven kills, including five in the first set.

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