Boxscore

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (October 5, 2019)
 
In Short
Red-hot Loyola University Chicago (11-6, 4-0 MVC) held host Evansville (12-4, 3-2 MVC) in check and got a match-high 12 kills from freshman middle hitter Taylor Venuto to roll to a 25-15, 25-14, 25-16 victory over the Purple Aces tonight at Meeks Family Fieldhouse. The Ramblers, who now own a four-match win streak and have captured eight of their last nine contests, are off to their best start ever in Missouri Valley Conference play (4-0) and their best start to league play, regardless of affiliation, since 2002.
 
How It Happened
Loyola got off to another fast start, using an 8-2 run that included three kills and a pair of blocks from Elle Van Grinsven, to pull away and take a 20-11 lead. Evansville was unable to get closer than eight points the remainder of the first set and Addie Barnes' fifth kill of the night put a bow on a 25-15 Ramblers victory that saw the visitors hit .306 (16-5-36) for the set.
 
Quinn Spieker and Taylor Venuto helped fuel the Ramblers' 25-14 decision in the second set, combining for 11 kills. That duo totaled four kills as Loyola raced out to a 6-2 lead and never looked back. After Loyola's lead ballooned to six (14-8), Evansville got within five points, but the Ramblers responded by running off four unanswered scores, the final two coming on back-to-back service aces from Maddy Moser, to extend the advantage to 19-10. Freshman Kasey Bell, who has played sparingly this season, provided the final two points of the set by registering consecutive kills that wrapped up Loyola's 25-14 win.
 
Evansville's offense appeared to get in gear at the outset of set three as the hosts charged to an early 4-0 lead. Undeterred, Loyola fought back with the benefit of some great play at the net, recording four blocks in a 12-5 spurt that gave the Maroon and Gold control of the set and a 12-9 lead. The Aces worked their way within a point, at 13-12, but three Venuto kills and a pair of aces from Addie Barnes and another from Katie Mather, were part of a crippling 10-1 run that all but dashed Evansville's hopes as Loyola earned a 25-16 victory. 
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Venuto hit .579 (12-1-19) and added three blocks to lead a Loyola attack that hit .279 (41-12-104).
• Barnes collected 10 kills, a season-high 16 digs and a pair of aces, while Spieker pitched in seven kills and seven digs. 
• Loyola kept Evansville's potent one-two punch of Rachel Tam and Melanie Feliciano under wraps as they combined for only 12 kills and hit a pedestrian .017 (12-11-60). As a team, the Aces hit just .064 (25-18-109) on the evening.
• During its current four-match winning streak, Loyola, which is showing signs of developing into a threat in the MVC race despite being picked fifth in the preseason poll, has dropped just one set.

 
Up Next
Loyola puts its win streak on the line Friday night (Oct. 11) when it hosts Southern Illinois at 6 p.m. CT.