Feb. 6, 2009

Box Score

CHICAGO - The Loyola men's volleyball team remained perfect at home Friday night, knocking off first-year program Grand Canyon, 3-0 (30-20, 30-20, 30-24) earlier this evening in Alumni Gym. The Ramblers improve to 5-1 on the season, while the Antelopes fall to 1-8.

Loyola wasted no time in the first game, with the score even at three, the Ramblers scored the next three points to take the lead for good. Kills by freshman Mike Bunting, redshirt freshman Brendan Styler and junior Michael Morice gave Loyola its biggest advantage of the game at five, 15-10, before Grand Canyon answered with a kill of its own. The Ramblers pulled ahead by as much as 10 late in the game, en route to a 30-20 first-game victory.

The Ramblers' offense picked up right where it left in the second game, keyed by four straight service aces from Bunting to give Loyola an early 9-3 lead. The Antelopes pulled within four a couple plays later, but that was as close as they would get. Junior Krisjanis Berzins tallied five of his seven kills in the second game to help lead the Ramblers to another 30-20 win.

Facing defeat, Grand Canyon kept the game close early on, pulling within three, 13-10 after a Loyola attack error, but the Ramblers would respond with kills from juniors George Kamberos and Mario Jez to maintain the lead. Freshmen Steve Thompson and Domenic Dewaele and Jez combined for 14 kills in game three to secure the sweep with a 30-24 victory.

Morice and senior Nick Lamoureux led the Ramblers with eight kills each, while Berzins added seven kills and Bunting and Kamberos tallied six apiece. Lamoureux recorded his ninth service ace of the season, giving him 69 for his career and ranked tied for 10th all-time for Loyola. Redshirt sophomore Michael Hutz dished out a match-high 48 assists, while Morice tallied a match-high five block assists. As a team, the Ramblers hit above .400 for the second straight match, producing a season-high .467 (52-9-92) hitting percentage.

Loyola is off until next Saturday (Feb. 14), when it hosts No. 8 UCLA for the first time ever. The match is set for 7 p.m. in the Gentile Center.