Final Score: UIC 3 -1 Loyola (25-22, 25-20, 19-25, 25-18)
Records: UIC (10-0); Loyola (4-6)
Location: Gentile Arena -- Chicago, Ill.
Stats: Box Score  | Season Stats 
Photo Gallery 

In Short...
Three Ramblers reached double figures in kills this evening but it was not enough as UIC defeated the Loyola University Chicago women's volleyball team, 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 19-25, 25-18), in the 2016 home opener inside Gentile Arena. With the win, the Flames continue their perfect start to the season at 10-0, while the Ramblers slip to 4-6.

How It Happened
Loyola jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the first set via a kill from freshman Lauren Stefanski. UIC answered back with a 6-2 spurt as it opened up a 7-5 edge after an Alyssa Ehrhardt kill. Things stayed tight as the set rolled on, with neither team able to build greater than a two-point edge until a Rambler attack error gave the Flames a 20-17 lead. Another Stefanski kill cut the deficit down to one, 22-21, before kills from Kyisha Hunt, Kelsie Groot and Casey Harris closed out a 25-22 first set victory for the visitors from the West Side.

The second frame followed a similar script to the first as the two rivals traded points in a set that featured 17 ties and four lead changes. Loyola used an early 3-0 run that was capped off by a double block by seniors Jackie Kocken and Morgan Reardon to take a 3-2 lead. Both sides again struggled to gain separation. With things knotted up at 19 all after another block from Kocken and freshman Delilah Wolf, UIC rattled off five unanswered points, sparked by another Hunt kill. Kocken and Wolf combined for another block to help Loyola fight off its first set point but Ehrhardt hammered home her fifth kill of the set to clinch a 25-20 UIC victory.

Loyola came out and stepped on the gas to begin the third set. A Reardon kill followed by a block by senior Sami Hansen and Wolf got the Ramblers out to a 4-1 advantage. Sophomore Gabi Maciagowski ripped her first kill of the set to up the Loyola lead to 10-5. The Flames came fighting back, going on an 11-6 run to tie it up at 16-16. Loyola responded by scoring four of the next five points to open up a 20-17 edge. Reardon capped the set off with another kill to put the Ramblers on the board with a 25-19 win.

Sensing a shift in momentum, Reardon and Hansen got Loyola out to a quick 2-0 lead in the fourth set with back-to-back kills. UIC answered back as it took a 5-4 lead on a Gaia Gbola service ace. Harris pushed the margin to three, 14-11, on a Loyola block error. Maciagowski cut the deficit down to two, 15-13, before a 5-2 run by the Flames upped the visitor's lead to 20-15. The Ramblers would claw back to within three but it was not meant to be as Hunt slammed the door shut on any hopes of a Loyola comeback with her seventh and final kill of the night to seal a game-clinching 25-18 victory in the fourth set.

Looking At The Numbers
- Reardon (16), Maciagowski (12) and freshman Quinn Spieker (10) all reached double figures in kills for Loyola this evening.
- Reardon also recorded 10 digs to notch a double-double.
- Wolf dished out a game-high 47 assists as she fell just four short of matching her career high in the category.
- Groot paced the UIC attack with 15 kills, while Ehrhardt was close behind with 13 of her own.

Up Next
Loyola heads to Indianapolis, Ind. over the weekend to compete at the Butler Invitational. On Friday, the Ramblers will take on the host Bulldogs at 5 p.m. (CT) prior to clashes with Arizona (10 a.m.) and Northern Kentucky (2 p.m.) on Saturday.