HAMILTON – A stellar offensive performance paired with timely defensive standouts headlined Colgate Volleyball's 3-0 senior night sweep of Loyola on Friday night at Cotterell Court.
Milan Bayless anchored the offensive performance with 17 kills to go with three block assists and six digs. Carlie Rzeszotarski landed nine kills with a .444 hitting clip and nine digs, while Maddie Rudolph added eight kills with a .667 hitting percentage and three block assists.
As a team, Colgate posted a .340 hitting percentage while limiting Loyola to a .145 percentage. Rachael Martinez paced the team defensively with 13 digs, while Lal Akin finished with a team-best four block assists. Rudolph and Bayless each had two blocks as Colgate racked up 16 total blocks in the sweep.
COACH BAKER'S COMMENTS
"I loved our sustained fight tonight in front of a great home crowd. We handled Loyola's aggressive attack well and were able to find some good rhythm in our attacking. We expect another good match tomorrow."
Set 1 | Colgate 25, Loyola 17
Rudolph and Bayless contributed key kills, helping Colgate build an early 6-2 advantage in the opening set. Deren Cukur's assists facilitated effective kills from Frances Torres and Jordyn Moore, pushing the home team further ahead. The set concluded with a service error by Loyola, allowing Colgate to secure the decisive first set, 25-17.
Set 2 | Colgate 25, Loyola 18
Colgate found significant momentum midway through the second set, turning a close match into a decisive advantage. The Raiders executed a 7-0 run, highlighted by Bayless' series of kills and a service ace by Rzeszotarski. Colgate maintained control through effective blocking, with Rudolph and Moore contributing key defensive stops. The set concluded with Colgate securing a 25–18 victory, extending their lead to 2-0 in the match.
Set 3 | Colgate 25, Loyola 23
Cukur's service ace and Bayless' block, alongside coordinated plays from Colgate, helped to establish a 7-3 advantage early in the set. Despite Loyola's efforts to close the gap, Colgate maintained its momentum, with crucial kills from Rudolph and Rzeszotarski. The set remained tense as Loyola tied the score at 23-23, but Colgate secured the win with a decisive block and a kill from Rzeszotarski, concluding the set, 25-23, and securing the 3-0 sweep.
UP NEXT
Colgate (16-7, 11-1 Patriot) and American square off Saturday afternoon in a first-place battle at Cotterell Court. First serve is slated for 5 p.m.
