FRIDAY
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Blue Mountain Christian had its nine-game winning streak snapped here Friday night, as they dropped to Loyola in SSAC play for the first time since 2021, falling 1-3 (8-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-23).
The Volley Toppers would get off on the wrong foot in the opening frame, with Loyola going on an 8-0 run early.
The second set went back and forth before LU would get a pair of 3-0 runs and a late Topper error to take the set.
The Toppers looked to be waking up in the third, as they would get dual 3-0 runs of their own, followed up with a service ace from Hailey Oliver to take the set.
The fourth saw Blue Mountain jump out 3-0 with a kill from Helen Roy and an ace from Rae Ann Hall.  Katie Rutland would come up with some big kills in the set, but it wouldn't be enough to draw the Toppers back.
Ambre El Rhaffouli had a career high with six assisted blocks for the Toppers, while Rutland had four assisted and A'Dasia Porter had three assisted.
Roy led BMCU with 14 kills and hit .190, while Hall finished with 11 kills at a .038 percentage.
Kora Wilson would have 21 digs on defense, while Jaiyah Jackson, Kerianna Collins and Oliver all had 11 each.
Oliver would compile a double-double in the loss, handing out 14 assists to go with her 11 digs, and Peyton Kidd would have 16 assists.
 
SATURDAY
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Saturday saw the Volley Toppers rebound and exact revenge from an earlier loss against William Carey, as they would pick up the SSAC victory 3-1 (25-21, 26-24, 25-25, 25-16).
Blue Mountain saw three players hit double figures in kills, with Rae Ann Hall leading at 15, Olivia Ashton with 13 and Kaytie Rutland with 10.
The Topper defense was out in full force again, as A'Dasia Porter had four assisted blocks and a solo, followed by Sammie Smith, Helen Roy, Ashton and Rutland all with two assisted apiece.
Peyton Kidd and Hailey Oliver were on point in the 6-2, as Kidd dished out 24 assists and Oliver had 16.
Kora Wilson would notch 18 digs, followed by Kerianna Collins with 13 and Jaiyah Jackson with 12.
Collins would also swat three service aces, while Hall had two.
With the season winding down, Blue Mountain sits steady in third inside the SSAC, with its remaining conference match against UT-Southern November 8 in Blue Mountain.
BMCU (18-6, 8-4 SSAC) returns to action Tuesday against Oakwood University in Huntsville, Ala. with first serve set for 6 p.m. CT.
 
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