Boxscore (PDF)
CHICAGO (September 23, 2017)
In Short
Piper Thomas recorded 13 kills to lead No. 22 UNI (12-4, 2-0 MVC) to a 25-14, 25-22, 25-8 victory over Loyola University Chicago tonight at Gentile Arena. The loss is the Ramblers' seventh in a row and drops them to 1-12 overall and 0-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
How It Happened
Loyola never could get on track offensively in the opening set, hitting -.028 (7-8-36), but despite the struggles, the Ramblers and Panthers were deadlocked at 7 early. UNI broke free with a 3-0 run, bookended with kills from Bri Weber, to open up a 10-7 lead they would never surrender on its way to a 25-14 win.
Set two was a dogfight. Loyola led by as many as two points on four occasions, the last coming when
Gabi Maciagowski tallied a kill to put the Ramblers on top, 15-13. Later in the set, a kill by
Elle Van Grinsven gave Loyola a 17-16 edge, but a Rambler service error was followed by a UNI kill that put the Panthers back ahead, 18-17. Loyola answered right back with an
Olivia Whittingham kill to knot things up once again, but UNI ripped off five unanswered points to take a commanding 23-18 lead en route to a 25-22 victory.
After the Panthers darted out to a 5-1 lead,
Delilah Wolf'
s kill brought Loyola within 6-4 early in set three. However, UNI, which hit .308 (9-1-26) in the set, scored the next five points to break open an 11-4 advantage and never looked back en route to a 25-8 decision.
A Look At The Numbers
- Macaigowski recorded a team-best nine kills to lead Loyola.
- Alex Nunez posted 18 digs, which fell one short of her career high set earlier this season versus Fairfield.
- UNI improved to 15-0 all-time against Loyola with the victory.
Up Next
Loyola hits the road for the first time this season in MVC play when it visits Missouri State Monday (Sept. 25) at 7 p.m.
