Sept. 14, 2013
Box Score
Notre Dame, Ind. - Loyola put itself in good position but Oakland was able to win some key points down the stretch in the first and third sets and the Ramblers slumped to a 3-1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-21, 25-15) defeat to the Golden Grizzlies in the finale of the Shamrock Invitational hosted by Notre Dame. Loyola drops to 5-5 with the loss while Oakland improves to 5-6 on the year.
The first set was nip-and-tuck most of the way. A Kathleen Vogel ace gave LU a short-lived 10-8 lead as Oakland scored seven of the next 10 points to grab a 15-13 advantage. A kill from Morgan Reardon and a block from Brittany Brown and Olivia Akin forged the ninth tie of the set and the teams would trade points all the way to 18-all. An Akin kill helped the Ramblers open up a 21-18 advantage but Oakland toughened up, scoring seven of the next eight points to stun Loyola and steal the opening set, 25-22. Loyola had eight hitting errors in the set, four coming in that set-closing run.
Loyola got out of the blocks fast in the second set and Emily Carr had three kills in a 7-1 run that turned a 5-4 LU lead into a 12-5 bulge. Oakland responded immediately, pulling within 13-10 after two Jessica Dood kills, and the Golden Grizzlies were within two (15-13) later after another Dood kill. Libby Bresser teamed with Brown for a pair of stuffs and with Reardon for a third as the Ramblers opened the lead back to six, 20-14, and they were able to hold on from there with Laura Purcell providing the set-closing kill.
The Ramblers found themselves in a 10-7 hole early in the pivotal third set but two Carr kills and one from Reardon pushed LU in front, 15-14. Oakland pulled even at 15 and the teams traded points all the way to 21-all before the Golden Grizzlies gained some separation. After a block gave OU service and a 22-21 lead, Alli Gutschow fired back-to-back aces to send Oakland to set point and an Amanda Baker kill closed it out on the first chance. Loyola held Oakland to just a .059 (9-7-34) hitting percentage in the set but four Oakland aces and four Loyola service errors tipped the scale.
The teams were tied four different times to get to 9-all in the fourth set before Oakland took control. A 4-0 run gave OU a 13-9 advantage and Loyola just could not find a rhythm as the Golden Grizzlies pulled away and closed out the match with a 25-15 win.
Loyola enjoyed a 52-46 edge in kills for the match but were hampered by 14 service errors and 28 hitting errors.
Reardon led Loyola with a match-high 15 kills but hit just .024 (15-14-41). She was joined in double figures by Purcell (11 kills, four blocks) and Carr (10 kills, .389). Bresser led a strong defensive effort at the net with seven blocks while Stephanie Kinane, who was named to the all-tournament team, continued to impress in the back row, notching a match-best 27 digs.
Loyola returns to Chicago and gets back on the court tomorrow afternoon when it hosts No. 6 Washington at 3 p.m. in Gentile Arena.
