Game Notes
Live Video at Missouri State | Live Stats at Missouri State
Live Stats at Southern Illinois

CHICAGO (November 6, 2019) - Loyola carries a three-match win streak into this weekend's road trip to Missouri State and Southern Illinois. The Ramblers, who are 14-3 in their last 17 outings, have prevailed in six of their last seven true road games, with the lone loss coming at Illinois State October 18. At 10-2 in Missouri Valley Conference action, Loyola has its best league record through 12 contests since starting 11-1 in Horizon League play in 2002. Loyola won the Horizon League regular-season crown that year and finished with a 27-5 overall record.
 
The Ramblers, who have never finished higher than sixth in the Valley standings since joining the conference in 2013, have established a single-season program record for MVC wins with 10, bettering the previous mark of nine set by the 2015 and 2016 squads. This marks the first time since 2004, when it went 10-4 in Horizon League play, that Loyola has totaled 10 or more league wins.
 
The Ramblers have prevailed in each of their last 12 matches when hitting at least .200 as a team. All told, Loyola is 14-2 this season when posting at least a .200 hitting percentage. 
 
Scouting Missouri State
Missouri State had a three-match win streak snapped with a 3-0 loss at UNI last Saturday. After getting off to a rocky 3-14 start to the season, the Bears have split their last 10 contests. At Hammons Student Center, MSU is 7-6 overall but it has won four of its last five matches there, including wins over Illinois State and Bradley two weeks ago. Sophomore outside hitter Amelia Flynn leads the Bears with 2.93 kills per set. Although Missouri State has taken six of the last eight meetings with Loyola, the Ramblers have captured two of the last three. Loyola is 1-5 all time against the Bears in Springfield, with the lone victory coming in 2015.
 
Scouting Southern Illinois
The Salukis have won three of their last five contests overall but are just 2-4 in the last six outings on their home floor. If Southern Illinois is able to win a set, it has bode well this season, as it is 13-8 in matches that go four or five sets, including 6-3 when going the full distance. Outside hitter Hannah Becker leads a balanced SIU attack with 2.50 kills per set. Loyola has won seven straight contests and eight of the last nine versus the Salukis and when the teams met in Chicago last month, Heather Kocken delivered 15 kills and seven blocks to lead the Ramblers to a 3-0 win. Loyola has won four straight in Carbondale, last falling there in 2014. 
 
Up Next
Loyola plays its final home matches of the regular season next weekend when Bradley (Nov. 15) and Illinois State (Nov. 16) visit Gentile Arena.