Ole Miss volleyball opened its season with a 3-1 loss to Loyola Marymount on Sunday afternoon at the Gillom Athletics Performance Center in Oxford, Mississippi. The Rebels, now 2-1, fell after winning the second set but couldn’t complete the comeback in the match’s final sets.
LMU took the first set 25-20 before Ole Miss responded with a 28-26 win in the second. The Lions then edged the Rebels 25-20 in the third set and closed out the match with a 25-22 victory in the fourth.
Shayla Meyer led Ole Miss with 19 kills and a .364 hitting percentage, her third consecutive match leading the team in kills. Cameron Bradley contributed offensively with four digs and five assists while recording a career-high 30 digs defensively. Jaidyn Hartsfield posted a career-best 14 kills with a .265 hitting percentage, and Vivianna Samaniego dished out a career-high 46 assists and added 11 digs.
Despite strong individual performances, the Rebels struggled to contain LMU’s offense, which totaled 61 kills and a .311 hitting percentage. Ole Miss finished with 55 kills and a .221 hitting percentage. Carly Paugh added nine kills and two blocks for the Rebels.
Ole Miss will now prepare for the upcoming Allstate Big Ten/SEC Challenge in Norman, Oklahoma, where they will face Ohio State on Wednesday at 5 p.m. CT. Fans are encouraged to support the team through donations to the ACE Club and by joining Rebel Rewards, the official fan loyalty program. The Rebels continue to share updates via social media, including Twitter at @OleMissVB and Instagram at @olemissvb.
