March 3, 2011
CHICAGO - Head coach Shane Davis and his No. 12 Ramblers will battle for the top spot in the MIVA this weekend, when they meet No. 5 Ohio State in Columbus on Saturday evening. Match time is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CST.
LAST MATCH
Mike Bunting and Eric Daliege led the Rambler offense with 14 and 11 kills, respectively, as the No. 12 Loyola men's volleyball team made up for an earlier season loss to St. Francis (Pa.) on Feb. 26, silencing the Red Flash 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-17) at Alumni Gym. Loyola improves to 12-3 (5-0) on the season, while increasing its winning streak to seven matches.
SERIES HISTORY
Loyola and Ohio State are meeting for the 39th time in a series that dates back to 1996. The Ramblers are 13-25 all-time against the Buckeyes. Loyola hasn't won in Columbus since March 31, 2006.
SEASON AT A GLANCE
With four returning starters in 2011, the Ramblers are positioned to make another deep run in this season's conference tournament, while seeking the program's first-ever trip to the NCAA Final Four. Led by setter Mike Hutz and outside hitter Mike Bunting, Loyola returns 10 letterwinners and welcomes seven newcomers to the 2011 roster, many of whom own All-American credentials. The Ramblers were tabbed third in the 2011 MIVA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
At 12-2 (5-0 MIVA) and ranked sixth in the latest ACVA Coaches' Poll, Ohio State has won its last 12 matches. The last six wins have been shutouts. A year after advancing to the NCAA Final Four, the Buckeyes were picked first in the 2011 Preseason MIVA Coaches' Poll. Midway through this season, Ohio State leads the MIVA in almost every offensive statistical category, notably kills per set (14.14), hitting percentage (.362), digs per set (9.53) and service aces per set (1.53). Outside hitters Shawn Sangrey and John Klanac are key to Ohio State's success, as the duo has accounted for 44% of the Buckeye offense. Sangrey and Klanac have kill totals of 182 and 152, respectively. Steven Kehoe, a two-time All-MIVA recipent, is first in the conference with 591 assists. Head coach Pete Hanson is in his 24th season at Ohio State.
SHOW YOUR HAND
Rambler Mike Bunting leads the conference in kills (232) and hitting percentage (.425)...For the week of Feb. 21-28, Buckeyes Shawn Sangrey (offense) and Steven Kehoe (defense) were named MIVA players of the week...Six of the 10 Preseason All-MIVA First Team selections will be on the court Saturday evening...Ohio State has won eight of the last nine meetings against Loyola since 2008.
RAMBLER SPOTLIGHT: Mike Bunting
Expectations were high for junior Mike Bunting heading into 2011. He received preseason all-conference accolades, and was asked to step in and lead the Rambler offense from day one. Now 15 games into the season, Bunting has answered the call, showing why he has earned the reputation of consistently throwing down hard attacks. He has filled the stat sheet on numerous occasions, notably against IPFW, where he powered 31 kills and added five digs. With the season reaching its midway point, look for Bunting to impress at even higher rate, as the Ramblers strive for the top-overall seed in the MIVA Tournament.
THE HUTZ WATCH CONTINUES
Redshirt senior setter Mike Hutz put forth solid performances in Loyola's three victories last week. Against Lewis, Hutz managed his second double-double of the season with 42 assists and 12 digs. In the process, the Whitefish Bay, Wis. native, cemented himself deeper into the Rambler history book, placing fourth in assists (4085), sixth in service aces (94) and tied for seventh in digs (540).
SOMEBODY STOP ME
Redshirt freshman Joseph Smalzer also found a place on the Loyola career list last week. After firing a pair of aces in the first two sets against Juniata, the 6-7 lefty took the serve in the final frame on two different occasions. With four more aces in the final set, Smalzer finished with six service aces in the Rambler victory. The total was the sixth best performance in school history.
NOT A HOUSE, IT'S A HOME
Loyola's loss to Stanford on Feb. 5 snapped its 22-match home winning streak, which started back to April 3, 2009. Since upsetting No. 2 BYU back on Feb. 11, the Ramblers have begun a new streak of six straight home wins.
AGAINST THE NATION
In the latest NCAA statistical rankings, Loyola is second in the country with a .364 hitting percentage. In other notable categories, the Rambler offense ranks eighth in both kills per set (13.29) and assists per set (12.28).
SWEEPING TO VICTORY
Six of Loyola's 12 victories in 2011 have been shutouts, including its last two wins over Juniata and St. Francis (Pa.).
IN THE POLLS
Loyola is ranked 12th in the latest AVCA Coaches' Poll. The Ramblers were picked third in the 2011 MIVA Coaches' Preseason Poll.
FAMILIAR FACES
Over 100 Rambler players have come and gone since the Loyola men's volleyball team first took to the court 16 years ago. While the lineups and rosters have changed, the main players on the scorer's table haven't. The table duo of official scorekeeper Jim Peyton aka "Scoop," and PA announcer Patrick Shultz have worked nearly every Rambler home game since 1996. These two dedicated gentlemen are the main reason why Loyola volleyball games are operated smoothly.
