BALTIMORE – Abby Hamilton and Ann Ernst combined for 43 kills, and Loyola University Maryland hit .242, Friday against Charlotte, holding off the 49ers for a 25-16, 25-16, 27-25 sweep in the Charm City Challenge presented by Residence Inn Owings Mills.
 
Hamilton led all players and was one off her career-high with 20 kills, swinging at a .292 clip from the outside, while Ernst contributed 13 kills and 18 digs.
 
Ashley Dwyer directed the Greyhounds' offence with 41 assists, and she also had a career-best five service aces to go with nine digs. Katie Forsythe finished with a match-best 22 digs as Loyola held the 49ers (5-5 overall) to a .113 hitting percentage.
 
Leading 13-10 in the first set, Loyola (4-5) scored eight of the next 12 points to go up 21-14 on a Hamilton kill. Charlotte would sideout twice, but Hamilton had her seventh kill of the first set at set-point to close the frame at 25-16.
 
In the second, a Hamilton kill made it 11-8 Greyhounds, and Dwyer connected on two of her five aces thereafter. She had a third serve that was difficult to handle, resulting in a 49ers overpass that Mackenzie Fedota put away for a kill from the middle. Hamilton followed with another kill to make it 15-8 Loyola, and the lead would be no less than six for the rest of the second.
 
The third set did not go as easily for Loyola as it featured 17 tie scores and 10 lead changes. Charlotte led 22-21 after a Cailin White ace, but a 49ers attack error and two-straight Hamilton kills gave Loyola match-point at 24-22.
 
Charlotte fought off that and two other match-point opportunities with sideout, and the 49ers went up 27-26 on a Greyhounds attack miscue.
 
Loyola took a timeout, and out of the break Cat Vaccaro had a kill on the right side, and Ernst followed with one on the left side to give Loyola its fourth match-point at 28-27. Charlotte then had an attack error that gave the Greyhounds the match sweep.
 
The Greyhounds wrap up the Charm City Challenge on Saturday when they face UMBC in a 2:00 o'clock match in Reitz Arena.