In Short…
Jeff Jendryk and Collin Mahan each ripped 13 kills as No. 6 Loyola University Chicago cruised to a 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 victory over No. 8 Lewis this evening inside Neil Carey Arena in Romeoville, Ill.  The win, Loyola's fourth straight in Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) play, sees the Ramblers move to 17-4 (7-1 MIVA), while the Flyers slip to 14-8 (5-3 MIVA). 
 
How It Happened
With the score knotted up at 5-5 in the first set, Loyola used a 3-0 spurt that was punctuated by a block from Ricky Gevis and Paul Narup to open up an 8-5 edge.  Lewis answered back with three straight points of its own to pull even at 8-8.  Following a Jake Walenga kill that trimmed Loyola's lead to 15-14, Paul Narup sparked a crucial 5-2 Rambler run with a kill as the Ramblers closed out a 25-21 victory.
 
Loyola got off to a fast start in set two, jumping out to a 7-3 advantage after a Flyer service error.  As was the case in the opening set, Lewis rattled off four unanswered points to tie the score at 7-7.  The Flyers used a 3-0 run during the middle stages of the set to open up a 13-11 lead but Loyola would respond, battling back to 16-16 off of a Lewis attack error.  The Maroon & Gold reclaimed the lead for good off of another Flyer hitting error that was followed by a Mahan kill as Loyola edged in front, 22-20, en route to taking the second set by a final count of 25-22.
 
Both teams struggled to gain separation early on in the third set.  With Lewis holding on to a slim 9-8 lead, a Ryan Jamison kill laid the groundwork for a 6-1 Rambler run that was capped off by a Gevis service ace as Loyola surged in front, 14-10.  The hosts refused to go away, climbing all the way back to within one, 17-16, on another Walenga kill.  Mahan helped extinguish any hopes of a Lewis comeback, hammering home another kill before teaming up with Narup on a block to reestablish a three-point lead, 19-16, as Loyola closed out a sweep with a 25-22 triumph.  
 
Looking At The Numbers
- As mentioned above, Jendryk and Mahan each finished with 13 kills to pace the Rambler attack.  Jendryk hit a blistering .684 (13-0-19), while Mahan added nine digs to go along with his offensive output.
- Garrett Zolg dished out a game-high 43 assists, while Avery Aylsworth notched a game-best 10 digs. 
- Ryan Coenen led Lewis with 13 kills.
 
Up Next
Loyola returns home on Thursday evening to open its final homestand of the regular season against No. 11 Ball State.  First serve is set for 7 p.m.