Sept. 10, 2011

Box Score

Iowa City, Iowa - Freshman Mary Kate Styler continued her solid play by recording a match-high 14 kills but it was not enough as Loyola dropped a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-17) decision to Iowa this afternoon at the Iowa Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa. Loyola drops to 2-5 on the season while the Hawkeyes move to 5-3 with the win.

The home team got off to a strong start, scoring six of the first eight points to grab the early lead. Loyola finally found its feet and pulled with 11-8 on a Styler kill but Iowa slowly managed to extend its lead, eventually opening up a 20-13 edge before the Ramblers responded. Kills from Styler and Natalie Pounovich followed a Hawkeye service error to give LU some hope but the hosts held on to secure an opening-set, 25-19 win.

Loyola turned things around at the start of the second set, racing out to leads of 3-0 and 5-1 behind two kills from Styler and another from Laura Purcell. Iowa ralled to pull even at six but kills from Pounovich and Purcell helped the Ramblers move back in front, taking an 11-7 lead on an Iowa error. The Hawkeyes roared back to score the next four points and eventually took a 16-13 lead on an Erin Leppek service ace. Loyola held strong and closed to within one (19-18) on a Melissa Hastings ace but it would get no closer as Leppek closed out the set with a kill.

Two kills and a solo block from Styler staked LU to an early 5-3 lead in the third set but a 7-0 Iowa run on the service of Nikki Dailey gave the Hawkeyes a 10-5 lead. A kill and another solo block from Styler helped LU rally within a point (12-11) but the Ramblers just could not string enough points together as Iowa secured the win with a 25-17 win.

Styler was terrific, leading all players with 14 kills (14-5-27, .333). Purcell and Pounovich each added six kills.

Loyola wraps up tournament play this afternoon with a 4:30 p.m. match against Chicago State.