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Joe Smalzer hit for a career-best .552 percentage on the night to help the Ramblers to a four-set victory over conference foe Grand Canyon.

Men's Volleyball

Loyola Defeats Grand Canyon, 3-1

March 23, 2012

Final Stats

PHOENIX, Ariz. - Redshirt sophomore Joseph Smalzer tallied 18 kills and a career-best .552 hitting percentage to help Loyola defeat current league-leader Grand Canyon tonight in Phoenix, Ariz. and improve to 14-10, 5-3 MIVA. The Ramblers took the match, 3-1, by scores of 25-17, 25-19, 21-25, 25-20. Grand Canyon fell to 14-10, 5-2.

After Loyola jumped to a 6-3 lead in the first, Ben Ponnet answered with three consecutive kills to bring Grand Canyon back to a 6-6 tie score. Loyola slowly worked to lengthen its lead, bringing the score to a full seven-point edge (21-14) off of a service ace from Steve Thompson. Grand Canyon brought the score to 22-17 before Smalzer and Dainis Berzins sandwiched a pair of kills around an Antelope attack to end the set.

The Ramblers broke away from a tight race in the beginning of the second set to take the lead at 9-5. Smalzer pushed the lead to five (20-15) and again to seven (24-17). The `Lopes fought off two set points with kills from Ponnet and Robbie Brannick before Bunting nailed one down for the 25-19 finish.

In the third set, Jordon Tarantino notched two consecutive kills to tie the score at 12 but Loyola answered with a kill from Bunting and a combined block to take back the two-point lead. The teams traded points to 18 when a few attack errors allowed the `Lopes to pull ahead. Taylor Galliano notched the final two point for the win, avoiding the sweep and forcing a fourth set.

Loyola bounced back in the fourth set, once again taking an early lead at 7-4 after Bunting, Smalzer, and Eric Daliege swung for trio of kills. The Maroon and Gold extended its lead to five (16-11) after a three-point run, paced by the serve of Thompson. A Smalzer kill put the game at the 21-17 mark. Bunting and Smalzer came up big at the end to launch bullets for the final two points, winning the set 25-20 and taking the victory in the match.

While leading the team on offense, Smalzer also collected 11 digs and two blocks on the night. Bunting and Berzins finished with 13 and 11 kills, respectively, while Daliege and Thompson combined for 11 total. Peter Jasaitis set a new career-high with an 18-dig performance on the backline and Daliege tied a personal-best nine blocks, of the team's 12.5 total, at the net.

Loyola will repeat tonight's match against Grand Canyon tomorrow. The game will begin at 8:00 p.m. CST.

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