Boxscore (PDF) 

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (September 21, 2018)
 
In Short
Elle Van Grinsven had a career night, posting personal bests of 21 kills, 10 digs and six blocks, while hitting .556 (21-1-36), as Loyola University Chicago (9-4, 1-0 MVC) rallied for a 25-14, 23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 15-11 victory over host Evansville (6-8, 0-1 MVC) tonight at Meeks Family Fieldhouse. The win snaps the Ramblers' brief two-match slide and gives them their first victory in a Missouri Valley Conference opener since 2015.
 
How It Happened
Loyola scored five straight points, the last coming on a kill from Van Grinsven, to snap a tie and seize a 9-4 lead it would never relinquish as the Ramblers, who led by as many as 12 points in the set, coasted to a 25-14 victory in the opener. Evansville was unable to get on track and hit a paltry -.027 (9-10-37), while Loyola was efficient, converting attacks at a .321 (12-3-28) clip.
 
A host of Purples Aces miscues helped power a set-opening 13-4 run that appeared to put Loyola in control of set two, but a Mildrelis Rodriguez kill flipped the switch for Evansville, which staged a stunning comeback for a 25-23 victory that evened the match at a set apiece. Loyola went ahead 23-22 on a Van Grinsven stop, but kills from Joselyn Coronel and Rodriguez, along with an ace from Allana McInnis, punctuated Evansville's comeback.
 
Another quick start from the Ramblers dug the Aces a 5-2 hole in set four, but once again the hosts played catch-up, wiping out that early deficit by registering nine unanswered points for an 11-5 lead. Loyola never was able to recover from that run, getting no closer than three points the remainder of the way in UE's 25-20 win.
 
After an Elena Redmond service ace put Evansville on top, 13-12, in set four, three Quinn Spieker kills keyed a game-changing 5-0 run as Loyola claimed control and rolled to a 25-17 decision that forced a fifth and deciding set.
 
A quick start that included a kill from Morgan Gresham, a Spieker block and an Evansville hitting error, allowed Loyola to gain control of the set early with a 3-0 lead. That advantage would grow as many as four points on a handful of occasions, the first coming at 6-2 on a service ace courtesy of Alex Nunez. Evansville would cut the gap to 10-8, but consecutive kills from Gresham and Heather Kocken bumped the lead back to four and Loyola would hang on for a 15-11 victory that completed the come-from-behind win.
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Van Grinsven's 21 kills were the most by a Rambler since Gabi Maciagowski drilled 21, ironically enough, against Evansville on October 13 last season.
• Dating back to last year, the Ramblers have won three of their last four road matches in Valley action.
• Loyola improved to 5-1 at Evansville since joining the MVC for the 2013 season.
• Kocken pitched in nine kills and six blocks and Maciagowski added eight kills and five rejections.
• Nunez led the Ramblers with 21 digs, her fifth match with 20+ digs this season, and Delilah Wolf had a solid all-around effort, totaling 53 assists, seven digs, two blocks and a pair of kills.
• Rachel Tam led all players with 22 kills for Evansville.

 
Up Next
Loyola closes out its road trip to the neighboring state of Indiana tomorrow when it takes on Indiana State at 6 p.m. CT.