BALTIMORE – Loyola Univeristy Maryland overcame five match points by American University in the third set to force a fourth, but the Eagles prevailed in four, 25-23, 25-23, 27-29, 25-16 in Patriot League action.
 
Abby Hamilton posted 14 kills and a matching number of digs for the Greyhounds, while Lauren Link added 12 kills, and Mackenzie Fedota nine kills to go with four total blocks.
 
The Eagles had two opportunities to close the match in the third set when they led 24-22, but kills by Hamilton and Fedota knotted the score at 24-24.
 
American continued to take one-point leads and look to close out the match, but two Eagles attack errors and a Fedota kill kept the Greyhounds alive in the match. After one of the American attack miscues, Adara Kellogg had a kill for Loyola and Fedota sealed the set with a service ace that hit the tape and rolled down for a point, taking the teams to the fourth.
 
In that stanza, the Eagles broke a 5-5 tie with a Asli Celikkol kill as the first of a 5-0 run that staked them to a 10-5 lead before a Loyola timeout.
 
Caitlin Churney had a kill to get Loyola back within three at 11-8, but the Eagles then ran off four in a row to build a 15-8 advantage.
 
Alex Fisher and Ashley Dwyer both finished with 23 assists for the Greyhounds. Katie Forsythe led Loyola with 18 kills, while Corinne Filograna had 15.
 
The Greyhounds close the 2021 regular-season on Saturday evening when they host the U.S. Naval Academy at 5:30.