UMBC

Amanda Willey has 13 total blocks (1 solo, 12 assisted) in the Retrievers' last two matches..

BALTIMORE, Md. – The UMBC women’s volleyball team (9-11) won its third straight match with a three-game sweep over Loyola College (4-15) in a non-conference match at Reitz Arena on Tuesday evening.  The Retrievers, who swept the season series from their local rival, took the match with scores of 30-27, 30-21 and 30-14. UMBC defeated Loyola in four games on Sept. 2 at the George Mason University Patriot Invitational.

Freshman outside hitter Sarah Ball (Winnipeg, Canada/ Sister H.S.) registered a match-high 13 kills along with five digs and three block assists.  Ball, who was named the America East Rookie of the Week for the fifth time this season earlier in the week, recorded 13 kills with just two attack errors as the Retrievers hit .309 in the match, including an outstanding .423 in the second game as UMBC recorded just three errors in the nine-point win.

The Retrievers opened the match with a 9-2 run by taking advantage of four Loyola attack errors and a pair of kills from freshman Angela Anderson (Hermosa Beach, Calif./ Bishop Montgomery H.S.). The Greyhounds rallied to within 16-14 on a pair of service aces by senior outside hitter Becky Corb, but the Retrievers held off the rally and escaped with a 30-27 win to start the match. Anderson had six of UMBC's 18 kills in the opening game while Corb had five kills for Loyola.

Ahead by 19-15 in the second game, the Retrievers scored five of the next six points to take a 24-16 lead they did not relinquish. UMBC took advantage of four service aces and nine Loyola attack errors to post a 30-21 win. Ball had six of UMBC's 14 kills in the second game while senior setter Megan Gross (Montclair, Va./Forest Park H.S.) had 13 assists.

Holding a three-point lead in the third game, UMBC went on an 8-2 run to extend its advantage to 18-9 as freshman Ashley Hargrove (Covington, Wash./Kentwood H.S.) had a pair of kills during the game-deciding run. After a kill by Corb cut the deficit to 18-10, the Retrievers used another 5-1 rally, upping their cushion to 23-11. The Retrievers closed out the match with kills by Ball and Anderson, securing their third straight victory.

Anderson added 12 kills in the victory for the Retrievers, while Gross recorded a double-double with 30 assists and 10 digs. UMBC also recorded 10 total blocks in the win.  Hargrove tallied five block assists while Amanda Willey (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air H.S.) tallied one solo and four assisted blocks.  Jessie Folk (S. Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North H.S.),  Ball and Gross each tallied three assisted blocks. 

Corb and sophomore Christina Greenup (Malibu, Cali./f Louisville H.S.) each had nine kills in the loss for Loyola.

UMBC will look for its fourth straight win when the Retrievers travel to New Hampshire for conference action on Friday at 5 p.m.