BALTIMORE – Despite a double-double from
Kareemah Hopkins, Coppin State's volleyball team fell in three sets (22-25, 26-28, 16-25) to Loyola University Maryland Wednesday evening inside the PEC Arena. The Eagles move to 5-6 while Loyola improves to 8-3.
Hopkins finished with 22 assists and 15 digs while
Paola Caten had a team-high nine kills with just one error to hit .276. Senior
Jordan Celestine etched her name in the Coppin record books by becoming the fourth Eagle to record 200 blocks, finishing with six kills and five total blocks.
Hope Casel also had four kills without an error on 11 swings, hitting .364.
Ashley Roman led the Eagles with 17 digs, followed by Hopkins and
Miajavon Coleman with 13 digs. Caten also tallied seven digs.
In the opening set, Coppin took an early 2-0 lead before the Greyhounds tied it up. The set went back and forth before Loyola went on a 4-0 scoring run to take a 15-9 lead. Coppin then scored four straight points to pull within two. The Greyhounds reached 21 first but the Eagles scored three straight to bring the match 21-20 before Loyola's Kacy Sekunda finished the set with a kill.
The Eagles went up 2-0 to begin set two but the Greyhounds took a 5-3 lead. The match was tied at six with points being exchanged between the teams before Loyola went on 5-0 scoring run to lead the match, 14-12. A late 6-0 scoring run helped the Eagles take a 22-18 lead. Loyola then scored five unanswered points to take a 23-22 lead. The match was tied at 25 all before Loyola ended the set 28-26.
Loyola scored first to begin the third set, but the Eagles rallied back to go up 2-0. Loyola used a pair of 5-0 scoring runs to seal the match.
Coppin returns to action on September 20 taking on local rival UMBC at 6 p.m. inside the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.
