Final Stats

AKRON, Ohio - Ann Ernst, Haley Puddy and Molly Jarvis each had 12 or more kills, but La Salle University rallied to down Loyola University Maryland in five, 25-13, 23-25, 23-25, 25-23,15-7 at the Akron Invitational on Saturday.

Jarvis had a career-high 12 kills , while Puddy hit .400 with 13 kills, and Ernst added 15 kills of her own. Stacey Kazalas had 11 digs, as did Ashley Kozer who also added 20 assists. Molly Werts led the Greyhounds with 26 assists.

La Salle (5-1, overall) was led by Samantha Graver's 18 kills and 17 digs along and Bryanna Davis' 18 kills. Kathryn Wood contributed 50 assists, and Jensen Sharrits added 13 digs for the Explorers.

The Explorers built a 21-8 lead in the first set, and although Loyola scored four-straight late, La Salle took a 1-0 lead in the match with a 25-13 win.

The second set featured 11 tie scores before Puddy and Mackenzie Fedota kills gave Loyola its first two-point advantage, 13-11. A four-point run by the Greyhounds followed, and they gained the biggest lead of the set at 16-12, but La Salle held on and tied the set again at 20-20.

Puddy and Kazalas had kills to regain the two-point advantage for Loyola. The Explorers answered, but were unable to pull even with the Greyhounds again and kills by Puddy and Jarvis secured Loyola's win, 25-23.

Neither Loyola, nor La Salle were able to gain more than a four-point advantage in the third before the Explorers were ahead 20-16. Loyola scored three in a row to draw within one, but La Salle answered with two to move ahead 22-19.

Werts and Ernst had kills to bring Loyola one away at 23-22. Jarvis recorded two late kills to push the Greyhounds into the lead, and an attack error by the Explorers solidified the 25-23 Loyola victory.

The fourth set was similarly tight with neither team having a four or more point advantage. The Greyhounds went on a five-point run to propel them to an 11-10 lead, but La Salle took the lead, 20-18, after a four-point run.

Loyola answered with two back-to-back point to even the score at 20-20. The Explorers pushed back with points to take the lead 22-20, and Loyola was unable to catch up. The teams traded points, and an error from La Salle brought the Greyhounds within one, 24-23, but they were unable to capitalize and fell 25-23 in La Salle's favor.

The Explorers led by one, 5-4, in the fifth, before they went on a five-point run to move their lead, 10-4 and increased the deficit to six. The closest Loyola was able to get from this point on was a gap of five, 10-5.

Loyola will face Tennessee Tech on Saturday, September 2, at 4:30 p.m. in Akron, Ohio to close the Greyhounds play at the Akron Invitational.