Loyola Volleyball Falls to Colgate in Straight Sets to Close New York Road Swing
The Loyola University Maryland women’s volleyball team wrapped up its two-match trip through New York with a straight-set loss to Colgate University on Sept. 19 at Cotterell Court in Hamilton, New York. Colgate defeated the Greyhounds 25-18, 25-13 and 25-17, dropping Loyola to 2-8 overall and 0-2 in Patriot League play. The Raiders improved to 6-5 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
Loyola entered the match one day after opening Patriot League play against Army West Point. The Greyhounds showed some offensive promise during that four-set loss, recording 39 kills and hitting .167, but they were unable to carry that production into Saturday’s matchup. Against Colgate, Loyola finished with 26 kills, 17 attack errors and an overall .107 hitting percentage.
Colgate’s Offense Sets the Tone
Colgate immediately established control with an outstanding offensive performance in the opening set. The Raiders recorded 17 kills with just one error on 24 attempts, producing a remarkable .667 hitting percentage in the frame. Loyola countered with 12 kills but committed six errors on 31 attempts, hitting .194 as Colgate pulled away for the 25-18 victory.
The offensive gap widened during the second set. Loyola managed only five kills against four errors and hit .045, while Colgate produced 16 kills and hit .344. The Raiders took the set 25-13 to build a commanding two-set advantage and put Loyola in a difficult position heading into the third.
Loyola attempted to extend the match in the third set, but Colgate remained efficient enough to close out the sweep. The Greyhounds recorded nine kills and seven errors while hitting .065, compared with 11 kills, three errors and a .286 percentage for the Raiders. Colgate finished the match with a 25-17 victory in the third to complete the sweep.
Greyhounds Spread Out the Offense
Morgan Sanabia, Elsie Afful and Mariah Sanabia each finished with five kills to lead Loyola’s offense. Sydnee Peters added four kills, while Morgan Crawford contributed offensively and led the Greyhounds defensively with 12 digs. Afful also provided Loyola with three blocks and one service ace.
Madison Monahan finished with a team-high 12 assists, while Gabi Verdicchio added 10. Loyola totaled 24 assists as a team on its 26 kills, but Colgate’s defense and efficient attack prevented the Greyhounds from establishing sustained momentum. Loyola also finished with 29 digs, two service aces and four total blocks.
Colgate’s offensive efficiency ultimately became the biggest difference in the match. The Raiders recorded 44 kills against only nine attack errors, while Loyola had 26 kills and 17 errors. Tiana Owens led Colgate with 14 kills, while Morgan Reese added 11 kills and hit .600.
Loyola Looks to Regroup at Home
The loss completed a difficult opening weekend of Patriot League play for Loyola. The Greyhounds lost in four sets at Army West Point on Sept. 18 before traveling to Hamilton for Saturday’s meeting with Colgate. Through those first two conference matches, Loyola fell to 0-2 in league play and 2-8 overall.
The Greyhounds now return to Baltimore and Reitz Arena. Their next scheduled match is against Bucknell on Sept. 25, giving Loyola an opportunity to pursue its first Patriot League victory of the season on its home court.
MSB Take
Loyola ran into a Colgate team that was exceptionally efficient offensively, particularly during a first set in which the Raiders hit .667. The Greyhounds had stretches of competitive volleyball, but 17 attack errors against only 26 kills made it difficult to generate enough offense to challenge Colgate consistently.
The encouraging part for Loyola is that several players contributed rather than the offense relying exclusively on one attacker. Morgan Sanabia, Mariah Sanabia and Afful each produced five kills, giving the Greyhounds multiple options moving forward. Loyola will need to turn that balance into greater efficiency as Patriot League play continues, beginning with the return to Reitz Arena.
