March 29, 2008

Box Score

NEWARK, N.J. - Sophomore Kris Berzins posted a team-high 15 kills to lead a hot-hitting Loyola University Chicago (14-11) squad past Rutgers-Newark (6-15), 30-26, 30-25, 20-25 in a non-conference match tonight. With the win, the Ramblers, who hit .337 (46-13-98) on the night, earned a season sweep of the series with the Scarlet Raiders.

Loyola trailed 19-16 in game one before consecutive kills by Joe Guntli got the Ramblers back into the game. A Berzins kill snapped a 22-22 stalemate and Loyola would go on to open up a 29-24 before picking up a 30-26 victory.

In game two, the Ramblers benefited from a Scarlet Raider service error to break a 5-5 tie, then used a service ace by George Kamberos and a kill by Nick Lamoureux to take an 8-5 lead. From there, Loyola would never look back and led by as many as seven points on four different occasions as it opened up a two-game lead in the match.

Much like in game two, a Rutgers-Newark service error broke an early tie and Mike Morice followed with a kill to give Loyola a 10-8 lead. The Scarlet Raiders would get within 23-21 late in the game, but a Rutgers-Newark attack error and a pair of service aces from Kamberos helped Loyola seal the game and the match.

Berzins finished with 15 kills, nine digs, two assists and a pair of aces to lead Loyola, which also received 11 kills from Guntli and 41 assists from Mike Hutz.

Loyola returns to action Saturday, April 5 when it hosts MIVA rival Quincy at 7 p.m.