WORCESTER, Mass. – Freshman setter/right side
KK Green posted a career-high 19 kills as the Holy Cross volleyball team earned a 3-1 comeback win over Patriot League foe Loyola (Md.) during Family Weekend Saturday afternoon in Blaney Gymnasium.
The win was the eighth of the season for the Crusaders and second in conference play while the Greyhounds slide to 6-16, 4-9 PL.
Green hit .318 in the match off 44 total attacks adding six digs, an assist and two blocks. Teammates, freshman outside hitter
Emma Sorensen (10 kills) and junior outside hitter
Taliah Lee (11 kills) joined Green in double figures.
Lee double-doubled in the match with 10 digs for the fifth time this season. Senior setter
Katie Russell had a monster double-double for the third time this season and seventh time in her career. with 45 assists and a career-best 20 digs.
SET SCORES:
Crusaders 3, Greyhounds 1 (19-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-12)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Russell began the match with a kill part of three straight for Holy Cross as they led 3-0 early. A Loyola attack error expanded the Crusader edge to four, 10-6. Down three the guests notched a block, kill and ace to level the score 13-13, another block gave them a one point lead at the media timeout. Back-to-back kills from Loyola expanded their margin to three, 19-16. An ace upped the score to 23-17 before winning the set 25-19.
- Holy Cross took a 6-4 lead in the second set as Sorensen tipped home a kill. A long rally which resulted in a Greyhound attack error moved the Crusader advantage to 11-7. Trailing 14-9, a 6-2 Loyola burst pulled them within one, 16-15. They ended up tying the set 18 all late. Back-to-back Green kills at the left pin gave Holy Cross a 21-19 edge. Holy Cross took the set 25-22.
- Trailing 7-6, Holy Cross used an 12-1 scoring run getting four Green kills and two sophomore defensive specialist Alana Whitwell aces for the 18-8 lead. A pair of consecutive Greyhound blocks put them behind 23-21. Freshman middle blocker Isa Glover bashed a ball from the middle for the final point of the set and the 2-1 match edge.
- Russell recorded another kill to double up the margin 8-4. Sorensen followed Russell with a kill of her own part of five straight Holy Cross points for the 9-4 lead. In front by five, Holy Cross took control of the game with six in a row capped off by a Russell ace for the 18-7 lead. Green completed the match with her 19th and final kill.
INSIDE THE BOX:
- Russell (1,550) has climbed to seventh place on the program's all-time assist list passing Ellen Pinkowski, (1,522 1990-91) and Jessica Ostlund, (1,543 1999-01). Russell has 40+ assists five times this season and four times over the last five matches.
- Freshman defensive specialist Elizabeth Hall recorded a career-best 24 digs in the contest.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
UP NEXT:
- Holy Cross hits the road for their final road regular-season conference games on Friday, Nov. 7 at Bucknell (8-13, 5-7 PL).
- First serve is set for 6 p.m.
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