BALTIMORE – Lehigh University had 13 total blocks in three sets, and the Mountain Hawks posted a 27-25, 25-21, 25-18 Patriot League victory over host Loyola University Maryland on Tuesday night in Reitz Arena.
Ann Ernst had a match-best 16 kills, while
Abby Hamilton chipped in 12, for Loyola, but the Lehigh (10-11 overall, 3-4 Patriot League) hit .228 to the Greyhounds' .093.
Loyola (10-10, 3-3) opened up a six-point lead, 21-15, in the first set after a Lehigh attack error, but the Mountain Hawks scored six of the next seven points and trailed 22-21 after a Sabrina Lancaster kill that forced a Loyola timeout.
Ernst sided out for the Greyhounds out of the break, and the Mountain Hawks called a timeout of their own.
Out of that stoppage, Victoria Hemseth had a kill and the Greyhounds had a hitting miscue, tying the set at 23-23. Hamilton sided out for the Greyhounds, but Julia Pressly responded in kind for Lehigh.
Ashley Dwyer dumped a ball over on two to score for Loyola, giving it set-point at 25-24, but the Mountain Hawks scored three in a row and won the opening frame on a Pressly kill.
From there, the Greyhounds did not lead by more than two in either of the last two sets.
Katie Forsythe had 19 digs for the Greyhounds, and Dwyer pushed out 26 assists.
The Greyhounds are on the road for their next two matches, starting with a 2 o'clock contest on Saturday, October 19, at the U.S. Military Academy.
