CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (November 29, 2019)
 
In Short
No. 3 seed Illinois State rallied to hand second-seeded Loyola a 25-18, 17-25, 17-25, 20-25 defeat in the semifinal round of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship tonight at McLeod Center. The Ramblers finish a record-setting season with a 21-11 overall record. 
 
How It Happened
Loyola got off to a strong start, scoring four of the first five points of the opening set to grab the lead. After Illinois State charged back to seven the score at 9-9, Kocken ignited a 9-4 run that featured three kills and an ace from Addie Barnes, with a kill of her own to help the Ramblers seize an 18-13 lead on their way to a 25-18 win. Loyola hit at a .258 (14-6-31) clip in the opener, its best mark on the night.
 
Illinois State scored the first four points in racing out to an 8-2 advantage and never looked back on the way to a 25-17 decision in the second set. Loyola tried to creep back into the contest, using two kills from Sarah Murczek to fuel a stretch of six unanswered points that whittled the deficit down to 19-15, but ISU went on to notch four of the next five points to seal the outcome.
 
Set three was a game of runs. Illinois State opened the proceedings with five consecutive points before the Ramblers answered with four straight tallies of their own to get within a point, at 5-4. But, that was as close as they would get as the Redbirds then reeled off nine straight points to open up a 14-4 advantage, although Loyola would make a game of it. Trailing 21-10, the Ramblers rolled off six unanswered scores, two on aces from Maddy Moser, to slice the deficit to 21-16, but ISU posted four of the final five points to claim a 25-17 victory.
 
The Redbirds utilized a 6-1 run to take control of the fourth set and open a 9-6 lead they would never relinquish. ISU's lead would eventually grow to as many as eight points until Loyola mounted one final push late in the set. Two kills from Kocken and a Delilah Wolf block were a big part of a 6-1 burst that brought the Ramblers within 24-20, but they were unable to complete the comeback, falling, 25-20.
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Kocken wrapped up her career with 11 kills, while Barnes pitched in 10 kills, 10 digs and a pair of aces.
• In her final appearance in a Loyola uniform, Wolf contributed five kills, six blocks, 17 assists and three digs and Elle Van Grinsven provided seven kills and eight blocks.
• Kaylee Martin delivered a match-best 13 kills for Illinois State, which moves on to face top-seeded UNI in tomorrow's championship match.

 
Up Next
Loyola's season comes to an end with tonight's loss. The Ramblers will have to replace the production of a senior class of Kocken, Wolf, Quinn Spieker, Moser, Olivia Whittingham, Amanda Cushen and Allison Watson, who helped establish a winning culture. Head coach Amanda Berkley, who has guided Loyola to 37 wins in her first two seasons in Rogers Park, will return 2019 All-MVC First Team selection Barnes and Taylor Venuto, along with middle blocker Elle Van Grinsven and setter Katie Mather.