Baltimore, MD - The Iona College volleyball team dropped a tough five-game match to Loyola, 27-30, 30-20, 30-24, 20-30, and 17-19. The Gaels are now 2-8 on the season and 0-2 in the MAAC.
In the first game, Iona jumped out to a 10-7 lead on the strength of four kills by Morgan Young. Loyola recovered to tie the score at 11, and with the teams even at 18, the Greyhounds inched ahead to take a three-point win.
Game two was a dominant effort by the Gaels, as they raced out to a 13-3 lead before coasting to the win. Trailing 8-6 in game three, the Gaels rallied behind Young, Megan Dailey, Kristin Allain, and Katie Brilla to assume a 2-1 advantage.
In game four, Loyola broke open a close contest, turning a 10-8 lead into a 21-11 advantage. Iona was unable to recover, sending the match into a decisive fifth game.
Game five was a tight affair, with the Gaels using a Brilla kill to avoid the loss and tie the game at 14. Iona had two opportunities to put the game away, but several attack errors down the stretch allowed Loyola to escape with the game and match victory.
Dailey led the Gaels with 17 kills, followed by 16 from Young. Beth Holly led both teams with 55 assists, while Alyssa Morales had a match-high 25 digs.
Iona returns home on Sep. 20 to host Marist at 7:00 pm.