Loyola welcomes Bethel University to First NBC Court for a match tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
The Loyola University New Orleans volleyball team claimed a 3-0 (25-19,25-16,26-24) sweep over Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) foe Martin Methodist College at First NBC Court on Friday night.
The Redhawks (6-11, 4-5 SSAC) held the slim 5-4 advantage in the opening set, but Loyola (10-13, 5-4 SSAC) quickly answered with 11-4 run to grab the 15-9 lead before securing the 25-19 victory.
Martin Methodist grabbed the 1-0 lead to start the second set, but that would prove to be the last advantage they would hold. With the Wolf Pack leading 19-16, Loyola rode the pinpoint serving of Kaitlynn Watson (FR/South Lake Tahoe, Ca.) to orchestrate a 6-0 run to close out the set 25-16.
The third set saw both teams battle back and forth until the Redhawks were just one point away from victory at 24-23. With the set hanging in the balance, Maddie Huekels (SO/Dyer, In.) found Tylar Beckham (SO/New Orleans, La.) for a kill to knot the set at 24-24 and keep Loyola's chances of the sweep in tact. An error by Martin Methodist put the Wolf Pack up 25-24, before Huekels connected with Malea Howie (FR/Greenwood, Ind.) for a kill to give the home team the 26-24 victory in the set and the 3-0 win in the match.
Overall, Loyola recorded a final .333 (45-12-99) attack percentage with six service aces, 42 assists and 41 digs.
Allison Hartmann (SO/Slidell, La.) led all players with 13 kills to go along with a match-high five blocks on Friday evening. Beckham chipped in 10 kills while Sunni Blanchard (FR/Pierre Part, La.) added 10 assists and three digs. Maddie Huekels once again powered the Wolf Pack offense: collecting 21 assists and eight digs in the victory.
For Martin Methodist, Genesis Mejias tallied seven kills and Sydney Arnold handed out a match-high 22 helpers in the loss.
Loyola returns to First NBC Court tomorrow, Oct. 1, to take on Bethel University in a SSAC showdown. Action from the Crescent City is set for 11:00 a.m.
