Monmouth takes down Loras in 3 sets

Monmouth opened its season with a 3-0 victory over Loras on September 1, 2026, at the Lillis Athletic and Wellness Center in Dubuque, Iowa, with set scores of 26-24, 25-16, and 25-12 in front of 225 fans.

The difference in the match came down to efficiency at the net: Monmouth hit .180 on the night compared to a -.043 mark for Loras, which committed 31 attack errors across 115 attempts. The Scots also held a commanding 9-3 edge in blocks, a category that repeatedly disrupted Loras's offensive rhythm in Sets 2 and 3. Monmouth's attack percentage surged as the match progressed — from .000 in Set 1 to .304 and .375 in Sets 2 and 3 — while Loras's efficiency fell from -.020 to -.129.

Bri Woodard led all players with 8 kills and 4 blocks, finishing with 11.0 points for Monmouth. Kaylee Celus added 6 kills and 2 aces, while setter Isa Hughes orchestrated the offense with 17 assists and chipped in 5 digs. For Loras, Kyra Kuehn and Cat Meyer each totaled 7 kills, and libero Iva Senio anchored the back row with 13 digs.

Monmouth opened Set 3 on a 6-0 run that effectively put the match out of reach, forcing Loras into a deficit it never recovered from.

The win moves Monmouth to 1-0 on the season.

Box score: https://duhawks.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2026/monmouth-college/boxscore/12553