Boxscore (PDF)
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (September 22, 2018)
In Short
Three players smacked double-digit kills and Loyola University Chicago (10-4, 2-0 MVC) hit .310 as a team to capture a 25-14, 26-24, 25-13 victory over Indiana State (7-7, 0-2 MVC) tonight at ISU Arena. The win is the Ramblers' second straight and marks the first time they have started Missouri Valley Conference play with back-to-back wins since joining the league in 2013.
How It Happened
Behind the hot hand of
Gabi Maciagowski, who recorded three of Loyola's first four kills, the Ramblers darted out to a quick 3-1 lead that quickly moved to 7-2 in set one. Loyola would put the set out of reach thanks to a 6-0 run that featured three kills from
Quinn Spieker and a kill and block from
Delilah Wolf, as the lead ballooned to 19-9. Hitting at a hearty .457 clip (18-2-35) for the set, the Ramblers rolled to a 25-14 decision.
Loyola put together another quick start to seize a 7-3 lead before Indiana State assembled a 7-1 run that put the hosts ahead, 10-8. The Ramblers would come back to tie the set at 18 on a kill from
Morgan Gresham, and the teams would exchange points until consecutive kills from Maciagowski and Spieker capped Loyola's 26-24 victory.
Yet again, the Ramblers sprinted out to an early lead, scoring the first six points of set three to take control of the contest. An 8-0 Loyola run, highlighted by a pair of solo blocks from Wolf, turned a 12-6 lead into a 20-6 edge and the Ramblers would go on to down the Sycamores, 25-13, for the clean sweep and their first 2-0 start in Valley play since joining the league in 2013.
A Look At The Numbers
- In winning on the road in Valley play for the fourth time in the last five matches, Loyola doubled its season win total from all of 2017 (5).
- Spieker led all competitors in the match with 13 kills and also added 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the young season.
- Heather Kocken was dominant, smashing 12 kills, while hitting at a remarkable .786 (12-1-14) rate and tossing in four blocks for good measure.
- Maciagowski rounded out the double-digit kill performers with 11, to go with four blocks and a .435 (11-1-23) hitting percentage. She now needs 34 kills for 1,000 in her Loyola career.
- Alex Nunez accounted for a team-high 18 digs and Wolf put up 42 assists, six blocks, five digs and three kills in another winning effort.
- Laura Gross registered eight kills for the Sycamores, who hit just .035 on the evening.
Up Next
Loyola wraps up a busy start to Valley play Monday when it hosts Missouri State at 5 p.m.
