Oct. 28, 2011

Box Score

Green Bay, Wis. - Homestanding Green Bay hit .295 for the match and was able to win the big points in the pivotal second set to claim a 3-1 (25-17, 25-22, 24-26, 25-14) win over Loyola tonight at the Kress Center in Green Bay, Wis. The Ramblers fall to 4-18 (1-11 Horizon) and are eliminated from contention for the Horizon League Tournament with the loss while the Phoenix improve to 10-14 (6-6).

Loyola got off to a good start as two Libby Bresser kills keyed a 4-0 run that gave the Ramblers a 9-5 lead in the opening set. The Ramblers still led 11-8 after a Kristen Haggenjos kill but Green Bay would rally, ripping off seven of the next eight points to take a 15-12 lead. Two Lyndsay Zabkowicz kills later made it 19-15 and the hosts were never headed, closing out a 25-17 win on a Leah Van Zeeland kill.

The second set was close throughout with the teams tied 12 times en route to 17-17. Three straight Van Zeeland kills gave the Phoenix a 20-17 advantage but a solo stuff from Mary Kate Styler and a tandem block from Bresser and Laura Purcell pulled the Ramblers even, 20-20. However, Carmen Leitermann ripped two kills coming out of a timeout to help Green Bay grab a 23-20 lead and the Phoenix secured a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-22 win.

A block from Natalie Pounovich gave Loyola a 9-6, third-set lead as the Ramblers tried to extend the match. Green Bay responded and took an 18-15 lead on an Abbey Gitter kill and extended the margin to four, 21-17, on a Carlie Willison ace. However, Loyola battled back immediately, tying the set at 21 on a block from Styler and Bresser, and kills from Haggenjos and Bresser gave LU a 23-22 lead. A Van Zeeland kill preceded a Loyola error as the Phoenix earned a match point (24-23) but a Purcell kill kept Loyola alive and the visitors used a couple Phoenix errors to steal a 26-24 win and send the match to a fourth set.

Green Bay put the Ramblers on their heels early in that fourth set, taking an 8-5 lead on a Willison kill before breaking the set open with a 6-0 run that gave the home team a 16-7 lead. Loyola was unable to string enough points together to make a dent in the deficit and Willison closed out the match with her eighth kill.

Styler racked up her first collegiate double-double, finishing with 12 kills and a season-best 14 digs. Bresser also put together a nice match, finishing with 10 kills and five blocks.

Loyola returns home next weekend for its final two home matches of the season, starting with a Friday night battle against Wright State.