PHILADELPHIA, PA - Returning home after six road matches, the La Salle Explorer volleyball team hosted the Loyola Greyhounds at Tom Gola Arena on Tuesday evening.  Battling to the end of a five game match, the Explorers came up short in the fifth and lost 3-2 to the Greyhounds.  Loyola improves to 3-11, and
La Salle stays at the .500 level at 6-6.

Loyola jumped out to an early lead in the first game, but the Explorers quickly caught up and the teams went back and forth trading points, with La Salle staying at least a point behind.  That all changed when La Salle took the lead at 13-12 and steadily gained ground.  Loyola called a timeout with the Explorers up 15-12, and following the discussion, La Salle rattled off the next two points.  The closest Loyola got was within three points at 18-15.  La Salle increased its lead at an even pace and the Greyhounds found themselves down 25-18 and calling their second timeout of the game.  La Salle went on to take game one 30-23.

In the second game, La Salle jumped out to a quick 5-0 start, but Loyola battled back, eventually knotting the score at 6-6.  The Explorers never led again in game two, and the Greyhounds took a 30-26 advantage into game three.

The Explorers fell behind 2-0 and then tied the game at 2-2.  As game three progressed, the teams traded points once again, and La Salle finally made a move after being down 11-10.  The Explorers ran off six straight points, forcing Loyola to take a timeout.  Eventually the Greyhounds got to within one at 19-18, but La Salle controlled the game and claimed a 30-27 decision and a 2-1 lead in the match.

The fourth game proved quite a battle, with Loyola getting it's first lead of the game at the 14-13 mark. Loyola extended it's lead to six at 22-16, but La Salle narrowed the gap late in the game and got the score to within two points several times.  The Greyhounds fought hard and forced a game five after a 30-27 win in the fourth.

In the fifth and final game, the Greyhounds took an early 2-0 lead, but the teams tied at 4-4, and La Salle took a 5-4 lead.  After a controversial replay call by the officials, the Explorers called a timeout and again took a one-point lead at 6-5.  Loyola earned the next three points to take an 8-6 advantage.  The Explorers called their final timeout and then the Greyhounds controlled the game and took the match with a 15-11 win.

Freshman Christa Dominick led the Explorers with 20 kills and fellow freshman Jackie Kushman Added 18 of her own.  Sophomore Stephanie Owen got into the scoring action knocking down 16 kills in 47 attempts and matched Kushman's .234 hitting percentage.  Setter Caitlin Conner assisted on 58 of La Salle's 71 kills in the match.

On defense, Atlantic 10 leader in digs, Carolyn Judge, tallied 32 digs, while Owen contributed 20 and Erin Sullivan posted a double-digit performance with 14.

For Loyola, Becky Corb led all players with 27 kills and hit a .303 for the match.  Teammate Christina Greenup landed 16 of her own.

On defense for the Greyhounds, libero Jamie Arndt posted a 29 dig performance and Corb added 16 in the win.

The Explorers will be back in action on Friday when they open the Atlantic 10 Conference season hosting Duquesne at 7:00 p.m.