KALAMAZOO, Mich. (September 7, 2018)
 
In Short…
Led by a trio of Ramblers that reached double figures in kills, Loyola University Chicago (5-2) picked up its fifth win in as many games this afternoon, recording a 27-25, 19-25, 27-25, 20-25, 15-5 victory over Utah State (1-7) as part of the Delta Hotel by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center Tournament at University Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich.
 
How It Happened
Utah State used a fast start in the first set to open up a 7-3 edge and force a Loyola timeout.  A Lauren Caprini service ace helped trim the margin to 7-5 before the Aggies rattled off three straight points to open up a 10-5 advantage.  Loyola began to chip away, eventually pulling even at 15-15 on a Quinn Spieker kill.  Utah State responded, pushing Loyola to the brink at 24-20 following a Corinne Larsen kill.  Another Spieker kill laid the groundwork for a set-ending 7-1 run that was punctuated by an Elle Van Grinsven hammer that saw Loyola come all the way back to earn a 27-25 triumph.
 
Loyola found itself in another early hole in the second set, falling behind, 4-1, after a Kassidy Johnson service ace.  The Ramblers would briefly pull even at 5-5 on a block by Van Grinsven and Delilah Wolf before Utah State took off on a 6-1 spurt that saw it surge back in front, 11-6.  Loyola would get no closer than four for the remainder of the second set as the Aggies picked up a 25-19 victory to even up at the match at one set apiece.
 
Flipping the script from the opening two sets, Loyola quickly raced out to a 6-2 lead after consecutive kills by Olivia Whittingham and Van Grinsven, prompting a Utah State timeout.  The Aggies responded with a 4-0 run to tie the set at 6-6.  Loyola built a pair of three-point leads during the set's middle stages but struggled to gain separation as Utah State refused to go away.  The two teams would trade the lead up until the very end, with Utah State taking a perilous 25-24 edge after a Rambler service error.  As was the case to begin the afternoon, Loyola would finish with a flurry, closing the frame with a 3-0 run that was capped off by a Morgan Gresham kill to seal a 27-25 win.
 
Utah State looked to quickly seize control in the fourth set with a 4-0 run that staked the Aggies to an 8-4 lead.  The Ramblers answered back, with a Van Grinsven kill sparking a 4-0 spurt of their own that knotted the score up at 8-8.  Following a Utah State attack error that tied the score at 15-15, the Aggies scored seven of the set's next eight points to gain the upper hand, 22-16, en route to a 25-20 victory that forced a decisive fifth set.
 
Loyola showed no signs of nerves to begin the fifth set, jumping out to a 4-1 lead after a solo block by Van Grinsven.  A Caprini service ace that was followed by an Aggie set error stretched the lead to 7-2 and forced Utah State to burn a timeout.  Shortly thereafter, the Ramblers put away any hopes of an Aggie comeback with a 5-0 run that pushed the margin to 12-3.  Heather Kocken slammed the door shut with a kill to close out a 15-5 win and extend Loyola's winning streak.
 
Looking At The Numbers
- Van Grinsven, Gresham and Spieker each finished with 12 kills to pace the Rambler attack on the afternoon.
- Gresham and Spieker both finished with double-doubles, chipping in 17 digs and 15 digs, respectively.
- Wolf dished out a team-high 43 assists, while Alex Nunez led the Maroon & Gold with 24 digs.
- Bailey Downing paced the Aggies' attack with a match-high 16 kills.
 
Up Next
Loyola returns to action tonight at 6 p.m. (CT) when it clashes with tournament host Western Michigan.