Sept. 3, 2011
Box Score
CHICAGO - Freshman Laura Purcell continued her outstanding play with a team-high 14 kills but Loyola struggled to close out sets in a 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-14) loss to DePaul this evening at the Chicagoland Challenge hosted by UIC. The Ramblers slump to 0-4 on the season while the Blue Demons improve to 2-4 with the win.
Loyola got off to a nice start as kills from Purcell and Diana Schulte gave the Ramblers an early 4-1 lead. DePaul managed to pull even at 8-8 but LU would regain the lead and played from in front for the majority of the set. Back-to-back hitting errors helped DePaul pull even again at 18-all and the teams would trade points to 21-21 before the Blue Demons took over, rattling off the last four points to snatch a 25-21 win.
The Ramblers scored three of the first four points of the second set but a 9-4 DePaul spurt saw the Blue Demons move out to a 10-7 lead. Two DePaul errors helped the Ramblers pull even at 11 but Loyola had trouble siding out and saw DePaul rattled off eight of the next nine points to take a commanding 19-12 lead. A block from Libby Bresser and Mary Kate Styler helped LU close within five (22-17) and a Bresser kill later capped a 7-1 Rambler run that made it a 23-21 game. However, a Molly Creek kill pushed DePaul to set point and a Loyola error closed out the frame.
DePaul jumped out to the early lead in the third set but Loyola hung tough. Trailing by as many as four in the early stages, the Ramblers used kills from Styler and Purcell to get within one, 10-9. Loyola was still down just one (15-14) after Melissa Hastings ace but DePaul's Ally Rooks served up two aces as the Blue Demons scored the final 10 points of the match to close out the sweep with a 25-14 win.
Purcell, who has led Loyola in kills in all four matches this season, continued her torrid start, slamming 14 kills at a .480 (14-2-25) clip to lead the Ramblers. Schulte, Bresser and Natalie Pounovich all added five kills apiece in support.
Loyola wraps up its busy weekend tomorrow when it takes on Montana State in its home opener. First serve from Halas Sports Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
