Box Score

CHICAGO - Cal State Northridge used key scoring runs late in the third and fourth sets to hold off Loyola, 3-1 (25-6, 24-26, 25-19, 25-19), this afternoon at the Arizona Invitational in Tucson, Ariz. Loyola slips to 2-2 on the year with the loss while the Matadors remain perfect, moving to 4-0 with the win.

For the second consecutive weekend, Loyola struggled in the opening set of its opening match, with the Matadors racing to a 25-6 win. Northridge jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the second set before the Ramblers found their feet. Morgan Reardon and Laura Purcell had two kills apiece in a 6-1 run that turned a 12-8 deficit into a 14-13 Loyola lead. The Ramblers extended to a three-point edge later on a Sami Hansen ace and earned a pair of set points at 24-22 after another Purcell kill. Kills from Sam Kaul and Natalie Allen pushed the set to extra points but consecutive CSUN errors gave the Ramblers a 26-24 win to even the match at one set apiece.

Northridge eased out to a 10-6 lead to open the third set but Loyola would battle back. Sami Hansen had a kill and a block as LU caught the Matadors at 11 and the teams traded points to 14-all before a pair of Loyola errors pushed CSUN to a 16-14 lead. The Ramblers regained the lead at 18-17 on a Hansen kill but it was all CSUN down the stretch as three kills from Cieana Stinson highlighted an 8-1 run that gave the Matadors a 25-19 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.

Loyola trailed 11-7 in the fourth set as it tried to extend the match and the Ramblers forged a 13-13 tie after two CSUN errors. A Natalie Allen kill and two Loyola miscues gave the Matadors a three-point edge but LU was back within a point (17-16) after a Kathleen Vogel kill. However, much like in the third set, CSUN put together a run when it needed it, reeling off the next five points to take a commanding 22-16 lead and the Matadors cruised from there.

The Ramblers offense was hampered a bit by errors, as they hit just .083 for the match, largely a result of 29 hitting errors.

Reardon notched her second double-double of the season, finishing with 12 kills and 10 digs, while Purcell provided a big lift off the bench with eight kills at a .533 (8-0-15) clip. Stephanie Kinane keyed Loyola's back row defense with a team-best 16 digs.

Loyola returns to the court tonight, facing No. 23 Arizona at 9 p.m.