March 27, 2009

Box Score

CHICAGO - The fifteenth-ranked Loyola men's volleyball team captured its first sweep since March 1 with a 3-0 (30-27, 30-27, 30-28) victory over George Mason Friday night in Alumni Gym. The Ramblers improve to 11-8, while the Patriots fall to 9-11.

Game one set the tone for night, as the two teams exchanged points throughout the majority of the game. With the score even at 26, Loyola scored three unanswered points behind a kill by Krisjanis Berzins, a Nick Lamoureux service ace and a Patriot attack error, before ultimately claiming the opening round, 30-27.

George Mason battled back in the second game and led by as much as five (16-11) early on. But the Ramblers slowly chipped away and pulled within two, 19-17, after a Patriot attack error, Brendan Styler service ace and kill by Michael Hutz. George Mason ended the run with a kill of its own, before Loyola knotted the score at 20 after a kill by Styler and service ace by Lamoureux. A kill by Mike Bunting gave the Ramblers their first lead of the game at 23-22, as points were exchanged over the next several plays, though the Patriots were unable to re-gain the advantage. Kills by Berzins and Michael Morice sealed the 30-27 victory.

In the third game, it was Loyola with early leads of 14-11 and 17-13, before George Mason eventually rallied back and evened the score at 26. The Ramblers buckled down, however, and never fell behind, as kills by Berzins and Bunting gave Loyola the 30-28 win and the match.

Berzins led the Ramblers with 16 kills and three service aces, while Bunting added 15 kills and Styler came off the bench to pick up eight kills, two service aces and four digs in two games. Lamoureux recorded two service aces, tying him for sixth all-time with 85 for his career and Hutz contributed a match-high 46 assists and eight digs.

Loyola is back in action tomorrow night against Rutgers-Newark beginning at 7 p.m. in Alumni Gym.