Game Notes 
Live Video vs. Southern Illinois | Live Stats vs. Southern Illinois
Live Stats vs. Missouri State

CHICAGO (October 9, 2010) - Off to its best start ever in Missouri Valley Conference play and its best start in league action since opening the 2002 Horizon League slate with a 5-0 ledger, Loyola returns to Gentile Arena to put its four-match win streak on the line. The Ramblers, who have won eight of their last nine matches, have not opened conference play with six consecutive wins since 2001 when they won their first seven Horizon League outings. During its current four-match win streak, Loyola has dropped just one set, that coming in a 3-1 victory versus Drake September 30.

In its history, Loyola has won its first four conference matches on five previous occasions - 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 - and never finished worse than second place in the regular-season race. Four of those times, the Ramblers claimed at least a share of the regular-season conference crown.

Over the last four matches, junior middle blocker Elle Van Grinsven is averaging 2.23 blocks per set. She was named MVC Defensive Player of the Week on October 7.

Taylor Made

Freshman Taylor Venuto has made quite an impression in her first season as a collegiate player. The 6-foot-1 middle hitter enters the weekend ranked atop The Valley in hitting percentage (.381). Venuto has delivered 10 or more kills in four of Loyola's last five matches and blasted a season-high 17 kills versus Virginia Tech September 13. Her 16 stops versus Western Kentucky August 30 were the most by a Loyola true freshman in a season opener since Morgan Reardon went for 18 kills in the 2013 lid-lifter versus Eastern Illinois. Over the last 11 matches, Venuto is hitting a sizzling .437 (124-17-245) with 3.18 kills per set and in her last three outings at Gentile Arena, the reigning MVC Freshman of the Week is producing 3.45 kills and 0.82 blocks per set and hitting .461 (38-3-76). Her .381 hitting percentage this season ranks sixth nationally among freshmen. In Valley play she is hitting .473 (46-3-91).

Scouting Southern Illinois

The Salukis are enjoying a nice bounce-back season after winning just five matches a year ago, already doubling their win total from 2018. Southern Illinois has claimed four of its last six matches and is coming off a 3-0 setback at UNI last Saturday. Junior Rachel Maguire leads the Salukis with 182 total kills (2.39 per set) and redshirt junior Savannah Sheridan adds 2.28 kills per set. Loyola leads the all-time series with Southern Illinois and has won six straight contests and seven of the last eight. SIU has not earned a win at Gentile Arena since escaping the Windy City with a five-set victory in 2015.

Scouting Missouri State

Missouri State snapped a nine-match slide with a four-set victory over Drake October 5, but the Bears are just 2-13 since winning two of their first three outings of the season. The road has not been kind to interim head coach Manolo Concepcion's club, which is 0-5 in true road matches and winless in nine contests total away from Hammons Student Center. Sophomore outside hitter Amelia Flynn leads Missouri State with 2.65 kills per set and adds 2.35 digs per set. Loyola's three-set victory over the Bears last September was its first-ever over MSU in seven meetings in Chicago. MSU has won six of the last seven meetings overall.

Up Next

Loyola goes back on the road next week and makes the short trip to central Illinois to face Illinois State (Oct. 18) and Bradley (Oct. 19).