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CHICAGO (October 4, 2017) - Loyola opens up a tough stretch of matches that will see it play six of the next eight outings away from home when it visits in-state rivals Illinois State and Bradley this weekend. The Ramblers will be looking to halt a nine-match slide, their longest since a 10-match skid in 2011. The Ramblers have fared well in MVC regular-season road games of late, winning four of their last six conference matches away from home. Last season, Loyola swept Bradley in Peoria in the regular-season finale for both teams, but dropped a four-set decision at Illinois in late September.
 
 
Scouting Illinois State and Bradley
Illinois State, which was picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll, has dropped three of its last five matches, all in league play and carries a 9-9 overall mark into Friday's match. The Redbirds are 3-2 at home this season and are 2-1 in their last three contests at Redbird Arena.
 
Preseason All-MVC selection Jaelyn Keene is having another phenomenal season and enters this week's action as Illinois State's leader in kills (3.81), blocks (1.00) and service aces (0.34) per set, while also hitting at a solid .313 clip (259-72-597). Junior outside hitter Lexi Wallen adds 2.40 kills per set, while libero Courtney Pence is putting up a MVC-best 6.38 digs per set. Loyola is just 3-17 all-time against ISU and has dropped five of the last six to the Redbirds.
 
Bradley has lost five straight matches to open Valley play after winning its final four non-conference contests. Loyola has dominated the season with the Braves, winning each of the last seven meetings and 14 of the last 16.
 
Junior outside hitter Erica Haslag leads Bradley with 4.36 kills per set and is also pitching in 3.11 digs, 0.44 blocks and 0.19 aces per set. Middle blocker Kathryn Graf has provided a solid complement to Haslag, averaging 2.31 kills and 1.00 blocks per set, while hitting a very solid .307 (164-48-378).
 
All's Well with Elle
Freshman Elle Van Grinsven has shown signs of her unlimited potential and is developing into a consistent weapon in Loyola's offensive arsenal. The 6-foot-1 middle blocker is averaging 2.06 kills per set over the last five matches and crushed a season-high 11 kills in a four-set setback versus Drake on September 22.
 
Van Grinsven has accounted for six or more kills in six of the Ramblers' last seven matches and is hitting .309 (35-10-81) in the last five contests. In Valley play, she is producing 2.07 kills and 1.07 blocks per set, while hitting .274 (29-9-73). She has been a solid force at the net recently as well, averaging 1.03 blocks per set in Loyola's last three matches.
 
One of four Wisconsin natives on the Rambler roster, Van Grinsven was a second team all-state performer as a senior at Wisconsin Lutheran High School, where she earned Wisconsin Little Ten Conference Player of the Year recognition in 2016.