NORFOLK, Va. – The Hampton volleyball team opened their 2021 season on Friday afternoon in the Old Dominion Invitational dropping two tightly contested matches against the host Monarchs and Loyola (MD).

In the opening match against Old Dominion, the Lady Pirates dropped a four-set encounter losing 18-25, 17-25, 25-20, 19-25.  The Loyola match saw Hampton fall 25-21, 28-26, 25-23.

The second match saw Jessica Pugh break the single match record for digs in a three-set contest recording 29.  The former record was 24 by Alyssa Jackson in 2007 against N.C. Central.

After the host Monarchs won the opening two sets, Hampton jumped out to a 6-2 lead early in the third set behind a kill from Gabby Calloway.  Old Dominion answered with scoring four of the next five points to trim the deficit to 7-6 after a kill from Madelyn Grunza. 

Hampton regained control after a 6-1 spurt to lead 13-7 following an ODU attack error and block by Genevieve Reynolds.  The advantage grew to eight twice, once at 18-10 after another Calloway kill and then following a Nevena Santrac kill at 24-18.

The Lady Pirates took the third set behind a Margaret Daramola kill to win 25-20.  Daramola, Santrac and Calloway had three kills apiece in the third set to help lead Hampton.  The final set saw 10 ties and four lead changes as Hampton held a 19-17 lead late, but saw the Monarchs close with the last eight points to win the match.

Calloway had 10 kills and seven digs to lead Hampton, while Santrac added six kills and Daramola had five and four blocks.

Set one against Loyola saw Hampton trail by as many as eight points at 22-14, but behind a serving run from Calloway the Lady Pirates ran off six straight points to trail 22-20 after a ball handling error as Loyola won 25-21.

The second set went to the wire as the teams were tied six times in the last 10 points with a kill by Daramola giving Hampton its last lead at 25-24.  Loyola scored four of the last five points to win 28-26.

Loyola jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the final set, but Hampton stormed back to take an 18-14 lead on a Clara Smith kill.  A kill by Isis Black gave Hampton its last lead at 22-21 as the Greyhounds scored four of the last five points to win 25-23.

Calloway had nine kills against Loyola and 10 digs, while Brooke Irvin had 19 assists and 10 digs to go with Pugh's school record 29 digs.  Smith and Alyah Barkley added eight kills apiece for Hampton who now returns to action at 1pm on Saturday against West Virginia.