Oct. 19, 2012

Box Score

Valparaiso, Ind. - Libby Bresser teamed with Anna Eytchison and then Brittany Brown for blocks on the final two points as Loyola rallied past Valparaiso tonight, 3-2 (26-24, 24-26, 25-16, 25-21, 15-13), at the ARC in Valparaiso, Ind. The Ramblers (14-7, 6-2 Horizon) avenge one of their two Horizon League losses while Valpo slips to 13-10 (5-3).

"I think it says a lot about our team that we were able to scratch that one out tonight," said head coach Chris Muscat. "It is the sign of a mature team that we were able to hang in there despite a lot of errors and stay aggressive down the stretch. Once we got back to being disciplined and playing our roles good things happened."

After Anna Eytchison opened the match with an ace, Valpo was able to move out to an early 9-6 lead after back-to-back blocks. The lead grew to five (13-8) on an Ariel Cudney kill before Loyola rallied. Eytchison and Bresser each had a kill and conbined for a block as the Ramblers ripped off the next five points to draw even at 13-13. The home team responded by scoring seven of the next eight to grab a seemingly comfortable 20-14 advantage but Loyola had some fight left. Two kills from Kathleen Vogel and one apiece from Nichole Riedel and Laura Purcell got LU within two (21-19) and the Ramblers rattled off four more points to grab a 23-21 lead. Valpo scored the three points to grab a set point at 24-23 but a Vogel kill erased that and Purcell pounded back-to-back kills as the Ramblers stole the opening set, 26-24.

The second set was close throughout until Valpo edged out to a 15-11 lead after two LU errors. Eytchison had two kills as Loyola pulled within a point (15-14) but the Crusaders were able to hang on to the lead, opening up a 22-19 advantage on a Mary Dent kill. Another Eytchison kill and a Vogel ace helped the Ramblers finally pull even (22-22) and the teams traded points to 24-all before a Kelsey Victor kill and a VU block helped the home team even the match with a 26-24 win of its own.

Valpo scored seven of the first eight points of the third set and opened up a 13-4 lead later on a Sarah Dooms kill. Loyola tried to chip away, getting within six (20-14) after kills from Bresser and Eytchison, but it would get no closer as Valpo grabbed a 2-1 lead in the match with a 25-16 win.

Two blocks and an Eytchison kill got the Ramblers off to a good start in the fourth set but Valpo used a six-point scoring run in the middle stages to turn a 10-8 deficit into a 14-10 lead. A Riedel kill ended the run and Loyola clawed back to pull even at 17 on a Brown kill. A Dent kill gave the home team a 21-18 lead and prompted a Loyola timeout, from which the Ramblers rallied. A hitting error gave LU service and a Brown kill and another Crusader error made it 21-all. Loyola kept pushing, using two Vogel kills to get to 24-21 and Vogel teamed with Riedel for a block to cap a set-ending 7-0 run that pushed the match to a fifth set.

Two Brown kills helped Loyola take an early 5-2 lead in the final set but Valpo rallied and took an 8-7 lead as the teams changed sides. A Vogel ace later gave the Ramblers a 10-9 lead but Valpo scored the next two to regain the lead. A Purcell kill and two Crusader errors pushed the Ramblers within two points of the match (13-11) but kills from Dooms and Dent quickly pulled the hosts even at 13. Bresser and the Loyola block took over from there, as the sophomore teamed with Eytchison to give LU a match point and then combined with Brown for another stuff to give the Ramblers their first road win over Valparaiso since the Crusaders joined the Horizon League in 2007.

"Our block gave us a big boost tonight," continued Muscat. "Both Libby and Nichole did a great job taking away shots and giving us some momentum-swinging points."

Eytchison led Loyola with 18 kills but hit just .041 for the match, indicative of the night for Loyola, which hit just .080 as a team. Vogel added 12 kills and a season-high 17 digs while Purcell also reached double figures, finishing with 11 kills and four blocks. Brown was solid at her setter spot (six kills, 43 assists, season-high 22 digs) while Bresser (six kills, eight blocks), Riedel (six blocks), Stephanie Kinane (30 digs) and Vicki Wrobel (career-high 16 digs) keyed Loyola's defense.

Loyola wraps up weekend play tomorrow evening with a 6 p.m. match at Wright State.