BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Loyola Chicago women's volleyball team was unable to take advantage of a 2-0 lead Thursday evening, falling in five sets to Bowling Green on the first day of the Hampton Inn Invitational.
 
Anna Feldkamp had a season-high 12 kills on a .357 hitting percentage to lead the offense. Karlie McNabb had a team-high 16 kills to go along with 10 digs for her third double-double of the season while Bree Borum nearly notched a triple-double with 40 assists, 11 digs and eight kills. Grace Hinchman picked up a team-best 24 digs, her third consecutive match with 20 or more kills.
 
The Ramblers offense couldn't find its rhythm Thursday, as the team hit a combined .184. Helping out the offense was Loyola's efforts as the service line. Loyola picked up a season-high 11 aces in the match, including Addie Barnes who had five for the second match in a row.
 
Loyola's defense was on display in the opening set, limiting the Bowling Green attack to a .083 hitting percentage. Back-to-back aces by Barnes helped spark a 5-0 Loyola run to give the Ramblers an 8-5 lead. Loyola maintained its advantage for the duration of the set, taking the 25-16 decision to go up 1-0.
 
Bowling Green looked poised to pull level at a set apiece, leading 20-14, but a 7-1 scoring run by the visitors pulled the set even at 21-all. Emily Banitt sealed the 25-23 victory with a kill as the Ramblers took a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Bowling Green came out after the break on the attack, taking the next two sets by 25-20 and 25-21 margins to force a deciding fifth set.
 
In the final set, the two teams traded points until Loyola took a slim 8-7 lead into the side change. The teams would match each other point for point, with the fifth set seeing tied scores from 10-all to 15-all. Bowling Green pulled away late with a pair of Loyola errors to clinch the match.
 
Loyola returns to action at 2 p.m. (CT) Friday afternoon at the Hampton Inn Invitational, taking on Wright State.
 
News and Notes

• Freshman Avary DeBlieck made her Loyola debut, getting the starting nod in the middle. The freshman finished with four kills and tied a match-high with five blocks.
• Kaley Board also made her Loyola debut in the match while Olivia Lovett made her season debut for the Maroon and Gold.
• Five different Ramblers finished with 10+ digs: Hinchman (24), Banitt (15), Barnes (11), Borum (11), McNabb (10).