Nov. 14, 2013

Box Score

CHICAGO - Loyola gave first-place Wichita State all it could handle but the Shockers used a key 7-0 run late in the fourth set to secure a 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 25-22) win over the Ramblers tonight at Gentile Arena. Laura Purcell tied her career-high with 19 kills to lead Loyola (12-16, 6-9 Missouri Valley). Meanwhile, Wichita State (24-6, 13-3) maintains its half-game lead over Northern Iowa at the top of the standings.

The match was close from the opening serve, and the teams were tied five different times to get to 9-all in the opening set. Wichita State was able to gain some breathing room, scoring five of the next six points to take a 14-10 lead and the Shockers extended to a 17-12 advantage later on an Elizabeth Field kill. However, the home team battled right back, using two kills and a block from Brittany Brown to pull within a point, 17-16. Loyola pulled even at 19 on a Brown ace but, after the teams traded points to 20-20, Wichita State edged out to a 22-20 lead on a LU service error and a block. A Purcell kill pulled them back within a point but WSU was able to side-out the rest of the way to take the opening set, 25-23. Brown had five kills in the set to lead the Ramblers.

Wichita State carried its momentum into the second set, racing out to a 5-1 lead to force Loyola into an early timeout. The Ramblers responded, scoring eight of the next 11 points to grab a 9-8 lead and the teams battled back and forth through the middle stages of the frame. The Shockers used a four-point scoring run to take a 20-15 lead but Loyola quickly regrouped. A block from Purcell and Sami Hansen made it a 21-19 game and a Hansen kill later put her on the service line with the Ramblers trailing 22-20. The freshman proceeded to serve up four straight points to give the Ramblers a 24-22 lead and, after an Ashley Andrade kill, Purcell found an opening to give Loyola a 25-23 win and even the match at 1-1 heading to intermission.

The Shockers opened the third set strong, taking a 6-3 lead and forcing Loyola to play catch-up. The Ramblers were within one (10-9) after a WSU error but the visitors maintained their lead and opened a 14-10 advantage on an ace. Loyola's deficit was five (17-12) before it rallied again. A solo stuff from Maureen Carls made it 18-16 and the Ramblers were still within two (21-19) after a Purcell kill. However, a Loyola service error and a Wichita State service ace made it a 24-19 game and a Sam Sanders kill closed out a 25-20 WSU win.

The fourth set was top-quality volleyball as the teams battled back and forth. Consecutive aces from Kelly Feigh staked the Ramblers to a 7-5 lead but the Shockers quickly pulled even at 8-8. Two straight Purcell kills put the Ramblers in front, 15-13, and they maintained that two-point advantage all the way to 18-16. However, after a Loyola service error, WSU's Sam Sanders served up six consecutive points in the decisive run to give the Shockers a 23-19 lead. Again, Loyola tried to battle back, using another Purcell kill and a WSU error to stay alive at 24-22 but Field converted on Wichita State's third match point to seal it.

Purcell was terrific again, ripping a match-high 19 kills at a .432 efficiency to lead the Ramblers. She was joined in double figures by Vogel (12 kills, 11 digs) and Carls (12 kills) while Brown just missed her third consecutive triple-double, finishing with nine kills, 26 assists and 11 digs. Sanders and Andrade led Wichita State with 14 kills apiece.

Loyola wraps up the home portion of its schedule with a 3 p.m. match on Saturday afternoon against Missouri State.