Box Score

EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette quickly responded from its first home defeat of the season last night, posting a 3-0 sweep over Loyola Saturday afternoon to move to 2-1 in Patriot League play for the first time since 2006.

Set scores were 25-18, 25-23, 25-20. Brianne Giangiobbe registered 12 kills behind a .458 attack percentage, while Jet Manzi secured six of the Leopards' final eight points in the third set, clinching the match with her 29th ace of 2015.

Lafayette (10-4, 2-1 PL) picked up its fourth-consecutive victory over the Greyhounds (5-12, 0-2 PL) and its eighth win in nine matches at Kirby Sports Center this fall.

"I thought how we responded after set two was going to be an indicator of the character of our team," head coach Terri Dadio Campbell said. "Our initial response in the opening five points of the third was excellent, and we closed out the set in really good fashion as well, especially with Jet taking control offensively at the end."

The Leopards had a comfortable win in the opening set after a 7-0 run, including six points on the serve of Maria Balus, led to a 16-9 advantage midway through the frame. The majority of the second set was decisively in favor of the Maroon and White also, but trailing 21-13 the Greyhounds used a late surge to pull within one at 24-23. A service error, however, allowed the home team to hold on for a 2-0 advantage.

Lafayette regained control by claiming five of the opening seven points in the third. Loyola fought back, taking a one-point edge on five separate occasions, the last of which came at 18-17.

Manzi then began to take over. She combined on a block with Kelly Flynn to tie things up, and gave the Leopards the lead with a kill on the ensuing point. After a service error made the score 19-19, she had three kills during a 4-0 run for Lafayette, and her first ace of the match served as the clincher shortly afterwards.

The Leopards are 2-1 in the Patriot League for the first time since the 2006 squad started 4-1 en route to a 9-5 mark in league play and a spot in the postseason tournament.

"It's a great feeling," Dadio Campbell remarked. "It's a credit to the players, their work ethic and just their commitment to each other to be successful throughout the course of matches."

Flynn led the team with four block assists, as Lafayette earned eight points from the net overall. She also supplied five kills with a team-best .714 attack percentage. Lauren Pisauro (19) and Sarah Moult (10) each reached double digits in digs, while Meghan Donohue had four of the Leopards' eight aces on the afternoon.

Lafayette now has a full week off before returning to conference play at home against Bucknell next Saturday. That contest is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.