Oct. 21, 2005

Box Score

Milwaukee, Wis. - Firepower in the middle was the story of the match as UW-Milwaukee knocked off Loyola, 3-1 (30-25, 30-26, 28-30, 30-17), tonight at the Klotsche Center in Milwaukee. Loyola falls to 6-14 (4-4 Horizon) while Milwaukee moves into a first-place tie with Cleveland State and Illinois-Chicago, improving to 14-7 (6-2).

Loyola could not get over the hump in a tight opening game. Consecutive Panther points broke a 15-15 tie and they were able to extend the lead to 24-19 before Loyola responded. Three consecutive points made it a 24-22 game but a pair of LU errors helped the Panthers regain control and take the opening frame.

A six-point Loyola run early in game two tied the set, 9-9, but a 5-0 UWM run immediately followed, putting the hosts in command. Trailing 28-21, LU had one last charge, closing to 29-26 before a Leanne Felsing kill gave Milwaukee a 2-0 lead heading to intermission.

Loyola had the better of game three, opening a 21-15 lead on a block from Shelby Henriksen and Katie Henry, and still held a 24-19 lead after a Courtney Ashley ace. However, seven straight UWM points gave the Panthers a 26-24 lead before Loyola regrouped, getting kills from Ann Deelo and Melissa Craig to send the match to a fourth game.

In that fourth game, erratic Loyola hitting was one of the keys, as the Panthers opened up leads of 10-5 and 16-10 before cruising to the win.

Keily Zins' double-double of 14 kills and 10 digs led the Ramblers. Ashley added 11 kills and nine digs while Henriksen pounded out a career-best 10 kills to go with four blocks. Deelo had 24 digs to lead the defensive effort but the Ramblers could not overcome a .120 hitting percentage and a Milwaukee tandem of Cheryl Hegemann (15 kills) and Sarah Moore (14) that controlled the match at the net.

The Ramblers return to the court tomorrow afternoon when it takes on UW-Green Bay. First serve from the Phoenix Sports Center is slated for 4 p.m.