Sept. 20, 2008

Penguins Bounce Back to Defeat Loyola in Three Sets

    Youngstown -- Ruth Boscaljon had 11 kills and seven blocks to lift the Youngstown State volleyball team past Loyola in straight sets on Saturday afternoon.
    The Penguins (8-4, 1-1 Horizon) responded with a balanced offensive attack against Loyola (10-3, 1-1 HL) after a disappointing loss in the league opener against UIC Friday night.
    Boscaljon's 11 kills came in 18 chances and against two errors for a game-high 15.5 points. Ebony Barbosa had nine kills, Kaitlin O'Hara registered eight kills on a .444 percentage, and Amanda Gray had 11 digs and three aces for the Penguins. YSU hit .262 as a team and had 11 blocks, eight more than in Friday's game. YSU won 25-18, 25-21 and 25-20.
    Loyola, coming off a five-set win over Horizon League preseason favorite Cleveland State, committed 21 attack errors, eight service errors and had five reception errors. The Ramblers led only once in the match, 4-3 in the second set.
    YSU worked through five lead ties in the first set and got help from 10 attack errors and four service errors in a 25-18 victory. Boscaljon had five kills in six swings as the Penguins hit .321 to Loyola's .111.
    The Penguins led by as many as eight in the second set before the Ramblers made a 7-2 run last to make it close. O'Hara had three kills while Haley Kapferer, Boscaljon and Tasha Reid had two apiece.
    The Penguins led for all but one rally in the final set behind a .303 attack percentage. Boscaljon had four kills while O'Hara and Barbosa had three apiece.
    YSU will begin a four-match road set Friday at Wright State.