BALTIMORE – Bucknell University scored eight of Friday night's first 11 points against Loyola University Maryland, but the Greyhounds went on an 8-1 run at that point, going on to a three-set sweep of the Bison, 25-21, 25-23, 25-19, in Reitz Arena.
Elsie Afful had kills on her first four swings in the first set and had a consecutive pair to start the run before an
Ava Nepkin swing for a kill.
Sidney Shafer broke up the stretch with a Bucknell sideout kill, but Afful came back with two kills that bookended a
Morgan Crawford kill for the Greyhounds which tied the set at 9-9.
Bucknell got within one, 11-10 and 12-11, but
Mariah Sanabia and Crawford had consecutive kills before combining for a block that gave Loyola a 15-12 advantage.
The Bison opened the second set with a 15-10 lead, but Loyola scored five of the next six to draw within one, 16-15.
The Greyhounds hit .344 in the second set with Nepkin tallying six errorless kills on only eight attempts, and
Sydnee Peters adding four kills.
Nepkin had one of her kills to put the Greyhounds up, 19-18, but Bucknell would go up, 20-19, with two points in a row. Crawford had a sideout kill, and Nepkin added another kill to put Loyola in front and give it a lead it would not relinquish.
Loyola never trailed in the third and led by as many as eight, 14-6, before the Bison would get within two, 21-19, on a Loyola attack error, but that was the last point Bucknell would score.
Crawford had a match-high 13 kills, hitting .312, while Nepkin added 11 kills and Peters had eight.
Afful, Sanabia and Crawford all had four blocks, and
Gabi Verdicchio and
Madison Monahan both finished with 16 assists.
Addie Huber all players with 17 digs, and Crawford and Nepkin finished with double-doubles, posting 10 and 13, respectively.
