BALTIMORE – The Towson University volleyball team began its weekend in Baltimore with a four-set victory (25-13, 25-21, 27-29, 27-25) over Loyola at the Reitz Arena on Friday night.
Towson (2-2) has won its last two matches and takes its fourth consecutive match against Loyola (0-2) dating back to 2019.
Key Stats
- Towson hit .218 as a team with 62 kills, holding Loyola to a .132 hitting percentage and 44 kills. The Tigers hit .333 in set two.
- Loyola's 10-6 edge in blocks was countered by Towson's 80-58 digs advantage.
- Anna Rice notched 15 kills and seven digs while Evi Priniotaki notched a double-double on 14 kills, hitting .333, and 15 digs. Kaitlyn Moran also had a double-double, tallying 33 assists, 10 digs, two kills and two aces.
- For Loyola, Addie Lowe hit .424 with 16 kills while Ava Nepkin finished with eight kills and 10 digs.
Key Situations
- Set One: Towson powered ahead early with a 5-0 run to take an 11-4 advantage, later adding a three-point streak to go up 14-5. The teams went back and forth with Towson retaining control, finishing with a block and kill from Clara Vorel in a 3-0 run to win 25-13.
- Set Two: Towson took a small lead early, with Loyola countering with taking five of six points to lead 10-9. Towson retook the advantage on kills from Anna Rice and Malinah Purcell-Telefoni to go up 14-12. The tussle continued until a Kaitlyn Moran setter kill set Towson up 23-20. A Purcell-Telefoni kill and block finished the game as Towson won 25-21.
- Set Three: Kills from three different Tigers aided Towson to an early 5-1 lead, which was countered with three Addie Huber aces on Loyola's 5-0 run. Loyola got a four-point lead another ace, from Ava Nepkin, to go up 16-12, later leading 19-14. A late 3-0 Towson run to get within two at 21-19, then a later 4-0 run tied the set at 23-23. Holding off a couple of set points, Towson went ahead with a Rice kill as Loyola had to defend set points. The Greyhounds got three straight Towson attack errors, capped by two blocks, to win set three 29-27 and force a set four.
- Set Four: Five consecutive kills by Towson, including three from Rice, surged Towson ahead 6-2 early in game four. Loyola pulled back within one, then Towson repaired the lead to three off kills from Rice and Evi Priniotaki. Fueled by Moran's two service aces, Towson pushed ahead with a 17-11 lead. Loyola got a late push on a 5-0 run to get within 21-20, tying the set off a block at 22-22. The teams pushed to past 25 with exchanges of kills, with Priniotaki keeping Towson in striking distance. Moran delivered a final setter kill to send Towson to the 27-25 win and a four-set match victory.
Inside the Numbers
- Kaitlyn Moran has a double-double in her last two matches, having 63 assists and 20 digs in a combined eight sets.
- Anna Rice has earned double digit kills in all four matches to begin the year.
Next Match
Tomorrow (Sept. 5) at 4 p.m., Towson hosts Saint Peter's for the home opener at SECU Arena. The first 250 fans receive a gold Hawaiian shirt.
Tickets for the match are available here:
https://www.gofevo.com/group/26TUVBsingles?access_code=26TUVB0905
-TowsonTigers.com-
