Box Score | Highlights

CHICAGO - Loyola dominated the stat sheet but Evansville had the edge on the scoreboard as the Ramblers dropped a 3-1 (23-25, 36-34, 25-22, 25-22) decision to the Aces tonight at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers slip to 7-14 (3-9 Missouri Valley) while Evansville improves to 8-16 (4-8) and completes a sweep of the regular-season series.

The match was nearly a carbon copy of the first meeting, including Loyola winning the opening set. The Ramblers started strong with a Reardon kill and back-to-back aces from Kathleen Vogel to play from the lead. Loyola took an 8-5 lead on an Emily Carr kill but Evansville rattled off the next three to pull even and the teams went back and forth the rest of the set. The Aces edged out to a 13-10 lead on a Cathy Schreiber ace but a four-point run, capped by a Kelly Feigh ace, gave the Ramblers a 16-14 advantage. The home team was, seemingly, in good position with a 23-19 lead but the Aces scored four of the next five to get within one, 24-23, before a Brittany Brown kill closed it out, 25-23. Reardon had six of Loyola's 18 kills in the set to lead the way.

Loyola carried the momentum over into the second set, as three UE errors gave the home team a 6-2 lead. The Aces responded with seven of the next nine points to take the lead and, again, it was nip-and-tuck the rest of the way. Neither team led by more than a point until the visitors edged out to a 17-15 lead on an ace. Kills from Bresser and Carr helped the Ramblers regain the lead and the Ramblers held a 22-20 advantage after a Reardon kill. However, Evansville scored four of the next five to have first chance at the set (24-23) but another Reardon kill sent the frame to extra points. After staving off three more set points, Loyola had its first of four set points at 28-27 but Evansville was up to the task. A Bresser kill gave LU a 34-33 lead before two Aces blocks and another Rambler error gave the visitors a lifeline with a 36-34 win. Loyola ripped 24 kills as a team in the set, which was its longest of the season (previous, 28-26 versus Northwestern), with Reardon and Bresser posting six each and Carr adding five.

The pivotal third set was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than two points as we entered the middle stages of the frame. Brown had three kills in a 7-1 Loyola run that turned a 14-12 deficit into a commanding 19-15 lead and the Ramblers were the first to 20, leading 20-17 after another Brown put-away. However, points proved to be hard to come by for the home team and the Aces scored the last five points as part of a greater 10-3 spurt that saw them steal the set, 25-22, and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Looking to stay alive, Loyola inched out to a 14-12 lead in the fourth set courtesy of a Brown kill. However, trailing 16-15, Evansville rattled off four straight points to grab a 19-16 advantage and force the Ramblers to play catch-up. Kills from Reardon and Sami Hansen pulled LU within a point (20-19) and the teams traded points to 23-22 before a Genesis Miranda kill and a Loyola error wrapped up the set, 25-22, and the match.

Offense was the word of the day, as each team had two hitters surpass the 20-kill mark and Loyola held significant statistical advantages in both kills (75-59) and digs (59-37).

Reardon and Brown had 21 kills apiece to lead the home team, the total representing a new career-high for Brown, who has been playing terrific volleyball of late. Ashley Ring (23 kills) and Miranda (20) led the Aces. Stephanie Kinane was the only player in the match with more than 10 digs, recording 27 ups to key Loyola's back row.

The Ramblers look to get back on the winning track when they host Southern Illinois tomorrow night at 7 p.m.