BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland volleyball wrapped up its regular-season non-conference schedule Wednesday with a 25-22, 28-26, 25-15 sweep of Coppin State University, raising its record to the program's best start in nearly four decades.
 
The Greyhounds' 8-3 record matches its best open to a season since 1982, the Greyhounds' first year of playing a NCAA Division I schedule.
 
Abby Hamilton led the Greyhounds with 20 kills while hitting .306 from the outside, and Lauren Link had 13 kills to go with 16 digs which matched her career-high.
 
Kacy Sekunda spread out 37 assists as Loyola hit .231 as a team. She also had three kills, two blocks and 10 digs.
 
Corinne FIlograna led all players with 18 digs, while Hamilton posted 14 and Katie Forsythe picked up 13.
 
Loyola led the first set 21-17 after a Coppin State service error, but a three-point Eagles run made it a one-point game and forced a Greyhounds timeout. Out of the stoppage, Loola sided out with a Coppin State hitting miscue, and then Sekunda had a kill to bring the set to 24-21.
 
The teams traded service errors, and Loyola went on to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Coppin State had two set-point opportunities to even the match at 1-1, leading 24-23 and 26-25. Loyola forced an Eagles attack error to even the score at 26-26, and then Hamilton posted back-to-back kills to give the Greyhounds a 2-0 advantage.
 
Loyola opens Patriot League play on Sunday, September 19, when it hosts the U.S. Naval Academy in a 4 p.m. match in Reitz Arena.