Loyola falls to Blue Mountain on Saturday

NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team hosted Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) on Saturday in The Den for Senior Day. The Toppers came away with the close five-set SSAC contest on Saturday. The Wolf Pack (21-8, 9-4 in SSAC), in a three-way tie for second place in the Southern States Athletic Conference standings, will play its final home game of the season on Friday, hosting William Carey (17-11, 9-4) in The Den at 6 p.m.

The Pack scored five to start Saturday's senior day matchup, starting with a kill by Alexa Palmer. Back-to-back aces by senior Kala Emanuelli, followed by kills from Clarissa Dupree and Isis Harink, assisted by senior Ellie Connor, ended the run, 5-0. 

Soon after, Blue Mountain got within one, 9-8, then Katy Hollingsworth found the floor and combined with Harink for a block, 11-8. The Toppers found a lead, 13-12, then Palmer notched a kill and Emanuelli served another ace, 14-13. Blue Mountain took over from there, though, taking the first set, 25-18.

Senior Juliet Petruzelli served an ace to start the second set before Dupree found the floor, 2-0. Seven ties ensued from there, with Loyola finding a lead, with a block by Harink and Palmer, 13-12. A Topper attack error, a Dupree kill, and two blocks from senior Ivana De Carvalho Peixe, Harink, and Dupree, put the Pack ahead by five, 17-12.

After two Blue Mountain points, Dupree, assisted by Belén Puche Laguna, and Harink, kept the lead intact, 19-14. Puche Laguna assisted Samantha Guillotte and Peixe on back-to-back points, 21-15, but Blue Mountain got within one as the set neared its end, 22-21. After the Toppers tied it, 24-24, the Wolf Pack ended the set with a Palmer point and an ace from Emanuelli, 26-24.

Seniors Lily Clemmer-Gillum and Hollingsworth notched a block for the Pack's first point of set three, then Dupree and Palmer found the floor, 3-0. With the Pack up one, 7-6, an attack error by BMCU started a six-point run for the Wolf Pack. The run included two kills by Harink and another by Guillotte, 12-6.

After a Topper point, the Pack scored seven straight with Guillote finding back-to-back kills, and Lola Blancher, and Peixe each getting a kill. Gullotte also combined with Hollingsworth for a block before Hollingsworth and Peixe earned another, 19-7. The Wolf Pack took the set from there, finishing the frame with three straight points, 25-12, and taking a one-set lead, 2-1.

The Pack kept its momentum in the early going of the fourth set, going up 6-3 to start the frame. During that stretch, Palmer and Harink each earned a pair of kills, adding four assists to Connor's total for the day. 

Dupree began a five-point run with a kill, before a block by Peixe and Harink, followed by back-to-back Puche Laguna aces ended the run, 11-5. A Dupree-Harink block put the Pack ahead by two, then Harink notched another kill and an ace, 14-11. The Wolf Pack had control of the set until the Toppers got within one, 20-19. After Loyola went up three, 24-21, Blue Mountain took command by scoring six of the next seven points to force a fifth set, 27-25.

With momentum from the fourth-set win, the visitors kept the ball rolling, taking a 4-3 lead in the final set. The Pack fought back, however, forcing ties with kills by Guillotte, 5-5, and Hollingsworth, 6-6. The Toppers took charge, though, pulling away to earn the win, 15-11. 

Pack Facts

• Kala Emanuelli served four aces to bring her over 50 aces for the season. She also recorded 25 digs, which gives her 505 for the season. 

• Belén Puche Laguna had 23 assists and four aces, giving her over 500 assists for the year and 69 service aces, which is tied for the ninth-most in a season in program history. 

• Ellie Connor led the team in assists with 25, adding a kill and seven digs. 

• Clarissa Dupree led the attack with 14 kills, a new career high, plus five blocks. 

• Samantha Guillotte also tallied a new career high with 13 kills, plus eight digs and two blocks. 

• Isis Harink reached a new career high in blocks with eight block assists, posting 12 blocks as well. Katy Hollingsworth also tied her season high with six blocks. 

• Alexa Palmer was the fourth Wolf Pack player in double figures with 11 kills. 

• Juliet Petruzelli served an ace with eight digs in the match.