Game Notes | Live Video vs. BYU | Live Stats vs. BYU

Live Video vs. UC Irvine | Live Stats vs. UC Irvine

CHICAGO (January 3, 2018) - Loyola raises the curtain on the 2018 season this weekend when it heads to Provo, Utah, to take on a pair of top 10 teams in No. 3 BYU and No. 7 UC Irvine. The Ramblers are 0-2 in season openers under third-year head coach Mark Hulse and under his direction are 11-16 against nationally ranked opponents. The Ramblers are coming off a 16-12 season in 2017, the 21st consecutive year they have won at least 16 matches. One of the elite programs in the country, Loyola has made three NCAA appearances in the last five seasons, winning a pair of national championships (2014, 2015). Loyola has won 20 or more matches four times in the last five years.
 
Scouting BYU
BYU is coming off a NCAA runner-up season in which it went 26-5, falling to Ohio State in the NCAA title match in three sets. Despite losing stars Jake Langlois (3.69 kps) and Ben Patch (4.27 kps) from last year's team, the Cougars return a formidable bunch led by senior outside hitter Brenden Sander, who produced 254 kills (2.95 kps) a year ago.
 
One of the Cougars' losses last season came at the hands of Loyola, a 20-25, 22-25, 25-22, 31-33 loss in Chicago. The Ramblers are 4-6 all-time against BYU and have prevailed in three of the last four meetings. Loyola is winless against the Cougars in three previous trips to Provo and is making its first visit there since January 8, 2016.
 
Scouting UC Irvine
UC Irvine went 20-7 last season and won nine of its final ten matches of the year. The Anteaters were impressive in matches that went the distance a year ago, going an unblemished 8-0 in contests that went to five sets. UCI will need to replace three of its top four kill producers from 2017 as only 7-foot middle blocker Scott Stadick (1.88 kps, 1.19 bps) returns.
 
Loyola holds a 6-3 edge in the all-time series with UC Irvine and has won the last three meetings. The teams met in the NCAA Final Four in both 2013 and 2015, with the Ramblers winning the national semifinal showdown in three sets two years ago. This is the first meeting between the teams since January 9, 2016, when Loyola pulled out a five-set victory behind 15 kills from Ricky Gevis.
 
Up Next
Loyola opens a nine-match homestand on January 12 when it hosts George Mason at 7 p.m.