Boxscore (PDF)

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (October 27, 2018)
 
In Short
League-leading UNI (18-7, 12-0 MVC) hit .420 (54-7-112) to earn a 25-16, 28-26, 25-17 victory over Loyola University Chicago (14-10, 6-6 MVC) tonight at McLeod Center. The loss snapped the Ramblers' three-match winning streak.
 
How It Happened
Loyola got off to a solid start and built an 8-6 lead, but was unable to maintain that momentum throughout the opening set. UNI would rally to tie the match and then assembled an 8-1 run to break an 11-all tie and grab hold of a 19-12 lead on its way to a 25-16 victory. The Panthers hit .372 (20-4-43) in the opener, while Loyola connected at a .194 (8-2-31) clip.
 
Another quick start, this one featuring two kills and an ace from Morgan Gresham, helped the Ramblers sprint out to a 5-1 lead that forced UNI to burn its first timeout of the set. Loyola appeared in control with a 19-14 advantage but the Panthers ripped off six consecutive points to grab the lead. From there, the teams battled back and forth, with a Gabi Maciagowski kill drawing the Ramblers even at 26, but UNI got a kill from Piper Thomas and followed that with a block to close out a 28-26 decision. Loyola hit .375 (21-6-40) in the set, but was outdone by UNI, which connected at a .432 (17-1-37) rate.
 
UNI ran out to an 8-2 lead but a kill from Elle Van Grinsven opened up a 5-0 run that brought the Ramblers within a point. A Jaydlin Seehase kill stopped the Loyola streak and touched off a stretch of three unanswered points that bumped the Panthers' advantage back to four (11-7) and the Ramblers would get no closer than three points the remainder of the way in a 25-17 setback.
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Quinn Spieker just missed out on another double-double, finishing with nine kills and 12 digs, while hitting .368 (9-2-19).
• Gresham added nine kills and seven digs for the Ramblers, who lost for just the second time this season when hitting at least .250.
• Maciagowski chipped in eight kills, with Heather Kocken and Van Grinsven pitching in seven kills each.
• Thomas led UNI with 18 kills.

 
Up Next
Loyola wraps up a busy stretch of three contests in five days Monday night when it hosts Southern Illinois at 6 p.m. in the first meeting between the teams this season.