BALTIMORE –
Ava Nepkin had 10 of her career-high 19 kills in the last two sets, leading a Loyola University Maryland volleyball comeback over visiting Bucknell University, 21-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-22, 15-7, in Patriot League action on Friday night in Reitz Arena.
Nepkin hit.308 overall and .454 in the final two sets of the match. She had her 10 kills in the last two frames on just 22 swings without an error. She also had her third double-double of the season, and fourth of her career, with 10 digs.
She also had a career-high six total blocks, part of the 13 the Greyhounds had in the match led by
Mariah Sanabia's career-high seven.
Sanabia also set a career-high with 12 kills, marking the first time in her career she has posted double-digits in that category. She hit .500 with one error in 22 attempts.
Kacy Sekunda added 12 kills, while
Morgan Crawford and
Addie Lowe each had eight.
Loyola trailed 16-13 in the third set before two-straight kills by Nepkin made it a one-point set.
A Bucknell attack error tied the match at 17-16, and Nepkin had another kill to put Loyola in front. Another hitting miscue by the Bison put Loyola up two, forcing a timeout.
Bucknell went back in front by a point, 21-20, after a Loyola service error, but Lowe and Sanabia had back-to-back kills and
Maggie Smith had an ace to put Loyola up, 23-21. Sanabia and Crawford locked up a block, and after a kill by the Bison, Lowe sent the match to a fifth set with a kill.
The Bison went up 2-0 in the fifth set, but
Riley Hamilton sided out with a kill on the right side. Hamilton then served seven points in a row with Sanabia coming up with two kills during the stretch and combining with both Nepkin and Crawford for blocks. The one with Crawford gave Loyola an 8-2 lead at the side switch.
Bucknell got within five, 9-4, but Nepkin had three kills over the next six points, and Lowe had a pair after that to seal the win.
Addie Huber had 25 digs to lead four Greyhounds in double-digits in that category. Hamilton added 18, while
Gabi Verdicchio paired her 28 assists with 11 digs, and Nepkin had 10.
Loyola will be back on its home floor Saturday afternoon for a 4 o'clock match against Lafayette College.
