FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katie Parker, kparker@uscupstate.edu
CHICAGO – The USC Upstate volleyball team (3-6) dropped a 3-0 decision to DePaul (4-6) and a 3-1 loss to Loyola-Chicago (7-5) at the first day of the Rambler Challenge hosted by Loyola.
The Spartans fell to the Blue Demons by scores of 25-15, 25-16 and 25-13. Upstate senior Emily Sanders (Sullivan, Ill.) the squad in the contest, recording a double-double with 19 assists and 11 digs. Sophomore Kayla McAvoy (Boiling Springs, S.C.) posted a team-high seven kills to go along with 10 digs, while senior Emily Bingham (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and freshman Kayla Eversgerd (Breese, Ill.) each added six kills.
DePaul was led by Vesela Zapryanova with a match-high 18 kills, while Allyson Rooks recorded a match-high 21 digs. Laura Witt helped the Blue Demons, registering a double-double of 25 assists and 10 digs.
Upstate sophomore Morgan Page (Woodstock, Ga.) anchored the Spartan defense, tallying a team-best 12 digs, while Eversgerd contributed eight digs and freshman Lexi Gober (Edwardsville, Ill.) added seven.
The Spartans dropped their second match of the day to tournament host Loyola by scores of 25-18, 23-25, 25-20 and 25-15. Upstate was led by McAvoy and Eversgerd, recording 13 kills each. Bingham posted seven kills, while Sanders handed out 35 assists and had four kills to along with seven digs.
The Upstate defensive effort was led by Page and Gober as each scooped up 12 digs. Eversgerd added eight digs, while McAvoy helped with four blocks.
Loyola was led by Anna Eytchison with a match-high 22 kills, Kathleen Vogel flirted with a double-double, posting 14 kills and nine digs. Libby Bresser rounded out the double-figure kill performances with for the Ramblers with 10 kills, while Stephanie Kinane collected a match-best 19 digs.
Bresser also had a match-high seven blocks for the tournament host Loyola, registering two solo rejections and four assisted denials. Brittany Brown also nearly had a double-double for the Ramblers, dishing out 56 assists and recording nine digs.
The Spartans return to action Saturday, closing out play at the Rambler Challenge with a noon match against Chicago State.
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