CHICAGO (November 27, 2019) - Coming off its best regular-season finish in 16 years, Loyola enters the 2019 Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Championship as the No. 2 seed and will face either No. 3 seed Illinois State or sixth-seeded Evansville Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Ramblers are making their third MVC Championship appearance since joining The Valley in 2013 and their first since 2016. Loyola, which has never won a MVC Championship contest, is seeking its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005 and its first conference tournament title since that same year.

Loyola's 21 wins are its most since 2004 when it posted a 22-9 ledger. This is also the Ramblers' first 20-win campaign since going 20-12 in 2015.

Scouting Illinois State

Illinois State enters the MVC Championship as one of the hottest teams in the league, riding a five-match win streak. The Redbirds are 4-3 at neutral sites this season and are led by junior outside hitter Kaylee Martin, who is ripping 3.97 kills per set (473 total kills), while adding 1.45 digs and 0.55 blocks per set. Loyola fell to ISU in four sets in each of the previous meetings this fall and has struggled with the Redbirds since joining the Valley, going just 2-12 and stumbling in each of the last nine matchups between the teams. This would be the first time Loyola and Illinois State have ever met in conference tournament play.

Scouting Evansville

The Purple Aces limp into the MVC Championship, having lost eight of their last 10 outings, including each of the last three. When playing on neutral floors this fall, Evansville has posted a 4-1 ledger, with the lone loss coming at the hands of Western Illinois in the season opener. The outside hitting tandem of Melanie Feliciano and Rachel Tam spearheads the UE offense with 4.18 and 3.78 kills per set, respectively. Loyola swept the season series with the Aces, winning both matches in three sets, and has won nine of the last 10 meetings between the teams, including each of the last five.

Up Next

With a semifinal round victory, Loyola would play for the MVC Championship title Saturday, November 30 at 4 p.m. CT.