Game Notes | Live Video vs. Bradley | Live Stats vs. Bradley | Live Stats vs. Illinois State

CHICAGO (November 1, 2017) - Loyola halted a 16-match slide and picked up its first win since September 3 when it dealt Southern Illinois a 11-25, 25-22, 28-26, 25-22 defeat Monday night in Carbondale. Still mathematically alive for a spot in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, the Ramblers close out the regular season by playing four of their final six matches at Gentile Arena. Junior libero Maddy Moser recorded her 1,000th career dig with her 12th of the match at Southern Illinois on October 30. The Bloomington, Illinois native is the first Rambler to top the 1,000 dig mark since Stephanie Kinane (2012-15) and she finished the match versus SIU with a season-best 22 digs, her most since November 5, 2016, when she accounted for 23 versus Wichita State.
 
Scouting the Opponents
Bradley has lost five of its last six matches and 11 of its last 13 with the lone wins in that extended stretch coming versus Loyola and Southern Illinois. The Braves have gone the distance in seven matches this season but are just 2-5 in those contests. Loyola has prevailed in seven 14 of the last 17 meetings versus Bradley, including seven of the last eight. When the teams hooked up in Peoria last month, Bradley rallied from a 2-0 deficit to post a 3-2 victory despite 17 kills from Elle Van Grinsven.
 
Junior outside hitter Erica Haslag leads Bradley with 4.38 kills per set and has been the Braves' do-everything player, also contributing 3.02 digs and 0.43 blocks per set.
 
Illinois State has captured six of its last eight outings and last week upended then No. 25 UNI in five sets in Normal. Loyola is just 3-18 overall against the Redbirds and is 2-5 against ISU since joining The Valley. In the previous meeting between the teams, Jaelyn Keene totaled 12 kills to power Illinois State to a 25-13, 25-22, 25-16 victory on October 6 at Redbird Arena.
 
Keene, a Preseason All-MVC selection, has lived up to that billing and in addition to hitting .319 (392-102-910), is contributing 3.92 kills, 0.91 digs, 0.97 blocks and 0.33 service aces per set.
 
Illinois State enters this weekend's matches ranked first in The Valley with a .157 opponent hitting percentage.