ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Ann Ernst hit .395 and had 20 kills to go with 10 digs on Friday night, but the U.S. Naval Academy edged Loyola University Maryland, 25-15, 17-25, 25-22, 25-23 in Patriot League play.
 
Ernst led three Loyola players with 10 or more kills; Abby Hamilton had 15, and Cat Vaccaro added 11 for the Greyhounds (6-10 overall, 1-2 Patriot League).
 
The Greyhounds outhit the Midshipmen, .257 to .242, and they had 10 blocks to Navy's seven, but the Midshipmen had eight service aces to Loyola's three.
 
Loyola jumped out to a 7-5 lead on an Ernst kill in the first set, but Navy sided out with a Katie Patrick kill, jump-starting a 10-0 run that would carry them to a 15-7 advantage when Patrick and Avery Stowell locked up a block.

The Midshipmen pulled away for a 25-15 win in the first, but Loyola built a lead in the second that it would not give up. Vaccaro made it 7-5, and moments later, Katie Forsythe delivered an ace to put Loyola in front, 10-7.
 
Loyola sided out shortly thereafter on a Navy service error, then Ernst, Molly Jarvis and Vaccaro posted consecutive kills to stretch the Greyhounds' advantage to 15-9. Navy got as close as four later in the set, but Loyola held them off to even the match at one set each.
 
Navy had the biggest lead of the third set at 18-15 on a Patrick kill, but two-straight Midshipmen attack errors and a Hamilton kill pulled the Greyhounds even at 18-18. Navy, however, scored three in a row to quickly take back the lead and hold off Loyola to lead 2-1.
 
The Greyhounds tallied the fourth set's first four points and eventually went ahead 10-5 on a Navy hitting miscue. Haley Puddy had a kill to make it 16-11 in Loyola's favor, but Navy had four in a row to get back within a point, 16-15.
 
The teams traded sideout points before Navy strung together two-straight to tie the score at 18-18. The set was tied four times after that, lastly on an Ernst kill to make it 23-23, but Navy closed out the set and match with two points.
 
Molly Werts had 29 assists and 11 digs for Loyola, while Forsythe added 15 digs. Jarvis and Mackenzie Fedota each had five total blocks.
 
Loyola is back in action on Saturday afternoon when it faces American University at 4 o'clock in Washington, D.C.