September 7, 2012
Tech downs Loyola Marymount, 3-2
Four Hokies record double-digit kills in win
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Virginia Tech (5-2) 25282519153
Loyola Marymount (4-3) 19302125122
  • High Point, N.C. - 315

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Four Hokies recorded double-digit kills as the Virginia Tech volleyball team downed Loyola Marymount, 3-2 (25-19, 28-30, 25-21, 19-25, 15-12) on Friday afternoon at the High Point University Classic in High Point, N.C.

Samantha Gostling led Tech (5-2) with 20 kills while Jennifer Wiker added 14 kills and recorded her second double-double of the season with 10 digs. Cara Baarendse tallied 11 kills, hitting 61.1 percent on the attack. Kathryn Caine rounded out the double-digit kills with 10.

Jordan Fish also had a double-double, putting up 56 assists and tallying 11 digs. Defensively Morgan O’Neill had 22 digs and freshman Kenedy McGrath added 18. Victoria Hamsher recorded seven blocks for the Hokies.

Kathleen Luft led the Lions (4-3) with 22 kills while Felicia Arriola added 15. Setters Ashley Maxfeldt and Hannah Tedrow had 32 and 20 assists, respectively. Betsi Metter recorded 22 digs for LMU.

In the opening set, Tech got out to a quick 8-4 lead, forcing the LMU timeout. The Hokies maintained the advantage and led by seven at 18-11. LMU looked to make a late run and cut the lead down to 19-15 as Tech took a timeout. Virginia Tech answered to take the set 25-19 and a 1-0 lead in the match.

The Hokies again got out to the lead in the second set, going up 12-9 off an O’Neill ace to force the Lions into a timeout. Tech extended its lead to 16-12 and led by four at 22-18, but the Lions rallied to tie the set at 22. The two teams traded points over the next several rallies, tying six times. Tech and Loyola Marymount were knotted at 28, but the Lions claimed back-to-back points to win the set 30-28 and tie the match 1-1.

LMU got out to the lead in the third set and was up 11-5, but the Hokies rallied with a 12-5 run to take the lead at 17-16. The Lions kept it close, but Tech clinched the set 25-21 to take the 2-1 match lead.

Virginia Tech and LMU traded points early in the fourth frame before the Lions went ahead, 11-8. The Hokies cut it down to one and trailed 17-16 before LMU closed out the set with an 8-3 run, winning the set 25-19 and tying the match 2-2.

In the final set LMU got out to a 6-3 lead, but the Hokies closed the gap to one at 9-8. The Lions held on to the advantage, but Tech kept it close and tied it up at 11. The two teams were tied at 12 before a kill from Gostling followed by back-to-back block assists by Hamsher and Caine gave Tech the points to take the set 15-12 and the match.

Tech hit 30.2 percent on the attack and tallied 68 kills while LMU knocked down 66 kills on 23 percent. The Hokies had 80 digs and 12 team blocks to the Lions 66 digs and seven blocks.

The Hokies will return to the court on Saturday, Sept. 8 when they take on George Mason during the afternoon session at the High Point University Classic. Match time is set for 1 p.m. at the Millis Center.

For updates on Virginia Tech volleyball, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_VBall).

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