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

CHICAGO (October 10, 2018) - Loyola wraps up a three-match road trip this weekend when it heads to central Illinois to face two of the top teams in the Missouri Valley Conference this season - Bradley and Illinois State. The Ramblers got off to an 11-4 overall start and won their first three Valley matches, but since then have stumbled in their last three contests despite competing well against some quality competition. Dating back to last season, Loyola has prevailed in four of its last six road matches in Valley play.

Senior Gabi Maciagowski reached a personal milestone in last Friday's match at Valparaiso when she accumulated her 1,000th career kill with her eighth stop of the match. The outside hitter/right side is the first Rambler since Morgan Reardon in 2016 to reach the 1,000-kill mark and she enters this weekend's matches with an even 1,000 career kills.

Scouting Bradley

With 14 wins already this year, Bradley has recorded its most victories in a single season since 2005 (16), but enters this weekend's action on a two-match losing skid after setbacks at Drake and UNI last weekend. The Braves are undefeated in eight matches at Renaissance Coliseum this season, dropping only five sets on their home floor.

Senior outside hitter Erica Haslag is having another impressive campaign and leads Bradley with 3.81 kills per set, while hitting .267 (255-73-682). Friday's match will be a battle of the top two serving teams in the league with the Braves leading the MVC with 1.40 aces per set.

Loyola has fared well against Bradley since joining the Missouri Valley Conference, posting an 8-2 ledger versus the Braves. The Ramblers have taken care of business in Peoria of late as well, winning three of the last four meetings there.
 

Scouting Illinois State

Illinois State has captured five of its last six contests and has won its only two matches at Redbird Arena this fall, disposing of Evansville and Indiana State there two weeks ago. 

The Redbirds have a balanced attack that features five players with over 100 kills, led by senior middle blocker Ali Line with 148 (2.39 per set). Preseason All-MVC libero Courtney Pence is living up to her advanced billing and leads The Valley with 5.68 digs per set. 

The Ramblers are just 1-9 all time against Illinois State at Redbird Arena, with their last and only win there coming on November 2, 2013.
 

Up Next

Loyola returns home for the first time in three weeks when it hosts Indiana State (Oct. 19) and Evansville (Oct. 20) next weekend.