TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Stillman College women's volleyball opened its Southern States Athletic Conference slate Friday night falling to one of the top teams in the NAIA, Loyola University, 25-7, 25-15, 25-13.

The Tigers' 35 points scored in the match equal the program's high in a three-set match against the Wolfpack. 

Loyola used a pair of seven-point runs to build its first set lead over the Tigers. Areaonna Manuel and Raine Patterson stopped each run with a kill. Patterson had two kills in the first set. 

The Tigers took an early 3-1 lead in the second set, but Loyola fought back to take a 8-4 lead. Madison Bubel served her first ace of the season to pull Stillman back within two points, 8-6. Another Patterson kill did the same at 9-7 before the Wolfpack built their lead to seven, 17-10. Showing its best hitting of the match, Stillman rallied to make it 18-14 before Loyola closed out the set. 

Patterson finished with seven kills to lead Stillman, while Amaya Bazemore and Emma Fahy each had seven to lead Loyola. 

Stillman (0-6, 0-1 SSAC) returns to Birthright Alumni Hall on Saturday, Sept. 9 to host William Carey University in its first home weekend match of the season.