Box Score

Wichita, Kan. - Much like the first meeting between the teams this season, Wichita State was able to come up with the big points at the end of sets as the Shockers claimed a 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-20) win over Loyola tonight at Koch Arena. The Ramblers slide to 7-12 (3-7 Missouri Valley) while Wichita State improves to 12-7 (6-3).

"The lineup on the floor really played hard and put themselves in great positions at the end of sets," said head coach Chris Muscat. "We continue to see growth out of our personnel. Brittany (Brown) and Maureen (Carls) had great nights and we will continue to build as we enter an important stretch of our conference schedule."

After losing the first meeting in three very tight sets, Loyola was ready for the rematch and jumped out to an early 8-4 lead after a Morgan Reardon kill and extended the lead to five (11-6) later on a Reardon ace. Wichita State was able to stem the tide but the Ramblers still enjoyed a 16-12 lead after a Caroline Holt kill. However, five consecutive hitting errors accounted for all the points in a 5-0 WSU run that gave the home team the lead and the spurt extended to 8-1 with a MaryAshton Floyd kill giving the Shockers a 20-17 advantage. Two Brown kills helped the Ramblers get back within a point, 21-20, and the teams traded points before the hosts scored three of the final four points to take the set, 25-22.

Wichita State carried the momentum into the second set, opening leads of 6-2 and 13-6 before Loyola battled back. Kills from Carls and Emily Carr helped LU back within three (13-10) and Carls had another kill after a Kathleen Vogel ace to make it a 15-14 game. Wichita State was able to regroup and led 23-19 before the Ramblers made one last charge. Carls ripped two kills and teamed with Holt for a block to cut the deficit to one, 23-22, but a Jenny Whitledge kill and a Loyola error lifted the Shockers to another 25-22 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.

Four straight WSU points turned a 6-6 tie into a 10-6 advantage and forced the Ramblers to try and play catch-up again. A Stephanie Kinane ace pulled LU within two (15-13) and the Ramblers forged a 16-16 tie after a Holt ace and a Wichita State error. Again, the Shockers had an answer, scoring the next three points to gain some breathing room and Loyola would get no closer than two points the rest of the way, with an Abbie Lehman kill wrapping up the match.

Carls continued her terrific play, smashing 11 kills (11-1-20, .500) to lead the Ramblers. Brown added eight kills on 14 errorless swings. Kinane posted a team-high 12 digs to lead the back row with Reardon adding 10 despite being held to a season-low six kills on the offensive end.

Loyola looks to salvage a split of its weekend trip when it takes on Missouri State tomorrow night at 7 p.m.