Huekels and Blanchard each collect 14 assists in the sweep.
The Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team took a step outside of conference __play on Thursday as they welcomed Gulf Coast Athletic Conference member Tougaloo College for a match at First NBC Court.
Thursday was the definition of a team effort for Loyola, with the Wolf Pack (12-14) using 17 players to complete the 3-0 (25-14,25-16,25-14) sweep of the Lady Bulldogs (9-7) at home.
Loyola used brilliant serving from Maddie Huekels (SO/Dyer, Ind.) to start the opening set up 4-0. The Wolf Pack then strung together an 11-5 run to stretch the advantage to 15-5 in the first frame. With the score 23-14 in favor of the home team, Anna Katherine Brunini (SO/Madison, Miss.) recorded an ace, which Tougaloo followed with an error, to give Loyola the set victory at 25-14.
The second set proved much of the same, with the Wolf Pack racing out to a 4-0 advantage, thanks in part to two kills by Lindsay Ulfig (JR/Saline, Mich.). Loyola was able to keep the Lady Bulldogs at a safe distance for the remainder of the set and another kill by Ulfig (her fifth in the set) sealed the 25-16 win.
Tougaloo showed some fight in the third set but the home team remained unfazed – scoring the final four points of the set to earn to 3-0 sweep on Thursday.
The Wolf Pack collected a .258 (38-14-93) hitting percentage against the Lady Bulldogs with 28 assists, 36 digs two blocks and nine service aces.
Allison Hartmann (SO/Slidell, La.) paced Loyola with 10 kills on 17 attacks (.353) while Sunni Blanchard (FR/Pierre Part, La.) and Huekels each handed out 14 assists in the win. Katie Philippi (SR/Metairie, La.) recorded 13 digs off the bench and Lindsay Ulfig chipped in seven kills on Thursday.
Taylor Kangethe led Tougaloo with five kills and Saije Bady gave out a team-high 11 assists in the loss.
The Wolf Pack return to Southern States Athletic Conference __play on Saturday, Oct. 15, when they welcome league-leading Mobile to First NBC Court for a match at 11:00 a.m.
