Box Score

Peoria, Ill. - After four sets of offense, it was Loyola's defense that came up big as the Ramblers recorded four blocks in the fifth set to earn a 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-19, 15-13) win over Bradley tonight in Peoria, Ill. The Ramblers snap a seven-match losing streak with the win and improve to 8-18 (4-12 MVC) while Bradley slips to 1-25 (1-15) with the loss.

"We had contributions from a lot of people tonight," said head coach Chris Muscat. "I am proud of the resiliency, execution and effort in sets four and five."

Trailing 5-4 in the fifth set, Loyola rattled off four of the next five points, the last two coming on blocks by Hansen and Maureen Carls and Libby Bresser and Caroline Holt, to take an 8-6 lead as the teams changed sides. The lead grew to three (10-7) on a Bresser solo stuff and the Ramblers still enjoyed a 13-10 lead after a Laura Purcell kill. However, Bradley made one last charge, getting within one at 14-13 before a service error gifted the Ramblers the final point.

The fifth set drama came on the heels of four competitive sets. Bradley scored four of the first five points of the match and managed to hang on to the lead the entire way. Loyola pulled even at 16 after the second of two straight Bresser kills but Bradley scored the next three to restore its lead. The Ramblers were within a point, 23-22, late after a Hansen kill but the home team was able to side-out for the last two points to take the opening set, 25-23.

Loyola trailed through the early stages of the second set as well, falling behind by as many as three (11-8) before rallying. Trailing 12-9, the Ramblers used two Purcell kills as part of a six-point run that gave them a 15-12 advantage. After a Bradley side-out, LU kept pushing, rattling off three more points to make it a 10-1 spurt that ended with the visitors leading by a 19-13 count. It was still a 23-18 margin when Bradley make a late push, scoring four straight to get within one (23-22). The teams traded service errors to 24-23 before Purcell's fifth kill of the set gave the Ramblers a 25-23 win that evened the match at one set apiece.

The third set was tight early but a 6-1 Bradley run staked the Braves to a 14-9 advantage. Loyola struggled for points as BU extended to a 20-13 lead but five straight points helped the Ramblers get back within two. However, Bradley was able to side-out and eventually closed out a 25-21 win on a LU error.

With its back to the wall, Loyola got off to the start it needed in the fourth set, using two kills from Carls to jump out to a 7-3 lead. Bradley scored the next three to get back into the set but another four-point run from the Ramblers gave them some more breathing room at 11-6. This time it was Bradley that was having trouble putting points together and it was a 19-11 score after a Hansen kill. Loyola would not be challenged the rest of the way, with Purcell closing out the 25-19 win with a kill to send it to a fifth set.

Loyola hit a sterling .305 for the match, with its top four hitters tonight (Hansen, Bresser, Purcell and Carls) combining for 51 kills at a whopping .676 efficiency.

Hansen led the way with a career-best 16 kills (16-2-25, .560) and seven blocks. Bresser (13 kills, 13-1-18, .667) and Purcell (13, 13-2-19, .579) also reached double digits with Carls (nine kills, 9-2-13, .538) just one short.

Loyola wraps up the 2014 season with two home matches next weekend. The Ramblers will take on Drake next Friday night before battling UNI on Saturday for Senior Night. Both matches start at 7 p.m. at Gentile Arena.