Box Score

CHICAGO - Southern Illinois used a key spurt in each of the three sets to earn a 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-22) win over Loyola tonight at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers drop to 7-15 (3-10 Missouri Valley) with the loss while SIU solidifies its grasp on the final MVC Championship berth, improving to 12-13 (6-7).

Loyola got off to a solid start, with two Brittany Brown kills helping the Ramblers score four of the first five points of the match. The lead ballooned to five (10-5) after consecutive Emily Carr kills and Loyola still enjoyed a 15-10 advantage midway through the set after a Morgan Reardon kill. However, four straight SIU points cut Loyola's lead to one and the visitors eventually pulled even at 16 on a Nellie Fredriksson kill. The Ramblers hung tough and regained a two-point edge (19-17) before the Salukis closed strong, rattling off seven of the next eight points to earn four set points with a 24-20 lead. A Maureen Carls kill erased one but Meg Viggars closed out the set with a kill on the next rally.

Southern Illinois carried that momentum into the second set, racing out to a 6-3 lead before Loyola settled in. A SIU error drew the home team within a point (9-8) and the teams traded points all the way to 17-16. A Loyola error gave the guests service and Alex Rivera was able to serve it out, notching seven more points as the Salukis took a commanding 2-0 lead in the match after a 25-16 victory.

The third set followed the same script as the first, as kills from Brown, Reardon and Libby Bresser staked the Ramblers to an early 5-1 lead. It was a 10-5 game after a Southern Illinois service error and the Ramblers still enjoyed a 13-8 advantage midway through the set after a Reardon kill. A 6-2 SIU spurt cut the Loyola lead to one (15-14) and the visitors kept pushing, eventually taking a 19-18 lead on a Hannah Kaminsky ace. Back-to-back Carls kills gave the Ramblers the lead back, 20-19, but Southern Illinois ripped off six of the last eight points to take the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-0.

Reardon led the way for Loyola with 11 kills while Carr added a season-high 10 as she continues to work her way all the way back following knee surgery. Stephanie Kinane paced the back row with 12 digs while Caroline Holt guided the team to a respectable .238 hitting percentage with 38 assists.

Loyola hits the road next weekend, battling first-place Illinois State and Indiana State.