Patriots Surmount Ramblers on Senior Day

Loyola women’s volleyball was narrowly defeated by George Mason University Nov. 7. Second-year outside hitter and defensive specialist Leyna Nguyen led the Ramblers, tallying 26 kills while the Patriots’ second-year outside hitter Kiera Hamilton surged forward with 24 kills. It was also senior night, celebrating middle blocker Avary Deblieck, setter Emma Henry and defensive specialist Jordan Bruckner. 

The first set began with two kills each from third-year opposite hitter Katie Scherer and Nguyen. Hamilton tallied a kill and Nguyen negated with a solo block. The Patriots’ redshirt second-year middle blocker Mia Hazelett added a kill and second-year outside hitter Nia Thomspon scored with a tip down the line, tying the set at five. 

Scherer and Nguyen added a kill each to the Patriots’s first-year opposite hitter Rylee Kinnell’s one. Nguyen tallied two more kills prior to a block by third-year outside hitter Claire Van Den Herik and third-year middle blocker Chloe Morgan. Errors by the Ramblers and a kill from Hamilton tied the set at 10. 

Third-year setter Mya Ball and third-year defensive specialist Jae Fitting each served an ace, Morgan added a kill and Scherer and Morgan secured a block. Hamilton added two kills to Morgan’s one before Hazelett tallied a kill and Thompson served an ace. Third-year opposite and outside hitter Kate Maley scored with a tip over the block which Hamilton negated with a kill, giving the Ramblers a 19-17 lead. 

The Patriot’s first-year middle block Jenna Hunt and Hamilton recorded a block, which Kinnell and Hunt followed with another. Nguyen and Thompson traded kills and Morgan added one more. Nguyen scored out of the back row, but two Rambler errors gave the Patriots’ a set point and a tip out of the back row from Hamilton closed out the first set, 25-23. 

The second set got started with a kill by Hunt and two consecutive kills from Scherer. Hamilton scored out of the back row which was negated by a kill from Nguyen. Hazelett and Scherer exchanged a kill each and Hamilton and Hunt each tallied a kill, negating their own errors and putting them down 6-5. 

Deblieck and Morgan added a kill each and Patriots’ first-year outside hitter Tenley Davis tabbed a solo block. Hunt and Hamilton traded a kill each with Scherer and Nguyen. Thompson added two kills to Scherer’s one and a block from Hazelett and Hamilton closed the gap, 13-11. 

Nguyen tallied one kill and Hamilton tallied two prior to a kill by Thompson, prompting a Rambler timeout. DeBlieck and Morgan swapped kills with Thompson prior to Scherer scoring off a tip. Hamilton added a kill, and Nguyen tallied four kills with Patriots’ redshirt fourth-year Gabriella Gelfound and Hazelett only able to combat with a kill each, giving the Ramblers a 23-21 lead. 

Maley and DeBlieck added a block to give Loyola a set point and despite a kill from Thomspon, a kill from Morgan concluded the second set, 25-23. 

The Patriots’ second-year setter Ava Cheney and Thomspon started the second set with a kill each. Hamilton served up an ace and tallied a kill before a kill from Scherer and Nguyen. A Morgan service ace was followed by a solo block from Nguyen. Hazelett and Scherer swapped kills, making it 6-5 for the Patriots. 

Hamilton added a kill and Gelfound scored with a tip over the block. DeBlieck added a kill to Hamilton’s two, and the Patriots’ fourth-year setter Camryn Weldon scored with a setter dump. Davis added three kills, and Ball served an ace, forcing a timeout by George Mason, tied at 11. 

Ball served another ace, and Thompson swapped a kill with Nguyen. Weldon secured another setter dump which was negated by a kill from Nguyen. Thompson and Hazelett added a kill each, and Hazelett and Gelfound secured a block. A kill from DeBlieck tied the set at 17. 

Hamilton added a kill prior to Nguyen adding a kill from the back row. Maley and Hamilton traded kills, and Davis secured a kill before Thompson tallied a solo block. Scherer and Hamilton traded kills, but a Loyola attack error gave the Patriots a set point. Nguyen tallied one more kill, but a kill from Hamilton out of the back row closed out the set, 25-23. 

Ball served two service aces to begin the fourth set. Davis added a kill, and Nguyen scored out of the back row. Scherer tallied a kill and a block with Morgan, prompting George Mason to call a timeout. Scherer and Thompson swapped kills, giving Loyola a 10-2 lead. 

Weldon served an ace prior to Thompson adding two kills and Scherer adding one. Hazelett and Hunt swapped a kill each with Nguyen and Davis. Thompson scored out of the back row, and Davis secured two more kills, giving the Patriots a 17-10 lead. 

Morgan tallied a kill, and Fitting served an ace Hamilton combated with a kill out of the back row. Scherer and Hazelett swapped a kill each and Scherer and DeBlieck added a block. Nguyen tallied back-to-back kills, and a kill from Maley awarded the Ramblers a set point. Hunt and Gelfound blocked a kill attempt, but Davis finalized the fourth set, 25-14. 

Ball served an ace followed by kills from Davis and Nguyen, starting the fifth set strong offensively. Hamilton scored out of the back row before Scherer and Thomspon exchanged a kill each. Two consecutive kills from Nguyen prompted a George Mason timeout, down 7-3. 

Hazelett served an ace and Maley tallied a kill. Both sides accumulated multiple errors before Hamilton scored out of the back row and the Patriots’ fourth-year libero Autumn Martinez-Robinson served an ace. Scherer and Morgan blocked a kill attempt, but Hazelett and Weldon combatted it with a block, tying the set at 12. 

Hamilton added a kill out of the back row, and a Loyola attack error gave the Patriots a match point. A final Rambler error concluded the match, 15-12. 

Head Coach Amanda Berkley recognized the graduating class, celebrating Deblieck, Henry and Bruckner, noting how they’re all good, positive teammates.

“Jordan is the ultimate team player and the nicest person,” Berkeley said. “Avary has been a blocking machine and a strong presence at the net. Emma came in and has been a good leader and a positive influence for a lot of players.” 

The Ramblers take on the last weekend of conference play against George Washington University in Washington, D.C. at 12:30 p.m. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.