April 3, 2009

Box Score

CHICAGO - No. 15 Loyola men's volleyball dropped a 3-0 (21-30, 25-30, 29-31) decision against league-leading and fourteenth-ranked Ohio State Friday night in Alumni Gym. The Buckeyes improve to 11-9 and 7-1 in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, while the Ramblers drop to 12-9 (1-5 MIVA).

Ohio State led by as much as five (18-13) in the opening game and maintained a comfortable advantage the rest of the way. A kill by Brendan Styler brought the Ramblers within three at 19-16, but that was as close as they would get, claiming the first game 30-21.

The second game proved to be a battle, as Loyola cut into several Buckeye leads down the stretch. Down five (23-18), blocks by George Kamberos and Michael Morice and kills by Nick Lamoureux and Mike Bunting keyed a 3-0 run to pull within two, 23-21. Ohio State responded with two straight points, which was quickly answered by kills from Kamberos and Bunting, but the Buckeyes followed with a 3-0 run to all but seal the game. A Loyola service error ended the second game, 30-25.

The Ramblers were down much of the third game, but slowly chipped away and eventually erased the lead with a Kamberos service ace to even the score at 24, before a service ace by Styler gave Loyola a 26-25 lead late in the game. The Buckeyes rallied to take the next four points, before the Ramblers again battled back behind kills from Kamberos and Morice to knot the game at 29, but two costly errors followed to give Ohio State the 31-29 victory.

Krisjanis Berzins led the team with 10 kills and 11 digs for his seventh double-double of the season. Bunting added nine kills, while Kamberos tallied seven kills and four digs and Morice recorded five kills and a team-best three service aces. Setters Michael Hutz (24) and Kyle Exline (13) combined for 37 of the team's 40 assists.

Loyola hits the road next week for a pair of matches at MIVA opponent Quincy.