TOLEDO, Ohio – Despite a match-high 13 kills from Grace Hill (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and 11 from Becca Jones (Arlington, Va.), the Marist volleyball team fell to Loyola University Chicago 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-20) Saturday afternoon at the Toledo Invitational. The Red Foxes finished the season-opening weekend 1-2, after splitting a pair of matches on Friday versus Toledo and Easter Illinois.

Courtney Shaw (Centennial, Co.) also had eight kills and Mackenzie Stephens (Holland, Mich.) added seven. Audra Brady (Allentown, Pa.) had 36 assists and Brooke Zywick (Garden City, Mich.) led the defense with a match-high 19 digs. Freshman Lexi Millington (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) had two more service aces, bringing her total to seven in three matches over the weekend.

Marist (1-2) jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first set on the back of two kills by Jones and one kill apiece by Shaw and Stephens. Loyola, however, used three runs of three consecutive points to overcome the early deficit and take a 16-14 lead. The Red Foxes fought back to knot the score at 20-20, but Loyola would score four of the next five to go up 24-21. Marist fought off a couple of set points, on a kill from Jones and an ace from Millington, but a Loyola kill ended the set. Jones had five kills in the set, sharing team-high honors with Hill. Zywick had five digs and Gena Russo (Rensselaer, N.Y.) added four.

The Red Foxes again went ahead early in the second set, scoring the first three points on two Loyola errors and another Jones' kill. Loyola used a 14-5 run however, to take a commanding 14-8 lead. Marist closed to within three at 19-16, but could not get any closer. Hill had another five kills in the Shaw second frame to lead the Red Foxes and Shaw added four of her own. Zywick led the defense again with eight digs.

The third set saw Loyola take a quick 12-6 lead. Marist used a late 6-1 run, on kills by Hill, Marisa Gilbert (Pflugerville, Texas) and Jones to close within three at 20-17, but could not cut the deficit any more. Jones led the third set charge with five kills.  

Marist will be back in action with a midweek match at Army on Wednesday. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Red Foxes will play their first home matches when they host the Volley in the Valley Tournament nest weekend, Sept. 6-7, when Dartmouth, Hartford and UMass-Lowell all visit McCann Arena. Admission is free to the public.

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-GoRedFoxes.com-