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CHICAGO (April 19, 2019) – The No. 10-ranked Loyola University Chicago men's volleyball team get a shot at claiming its fourth MIVA Tournament championship when it takes on No. 7 Lewis for the third time this season. The Ramblers enter the contest on their longest winning streak of the season at eight matches. First serve for the conference tournament finale is hit at 7 p.m. at Neil Carey Arena down in Romeoville, Ill. The winner of Saturday's match will move on to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Last Time Out: The Ramblers punched their ticket to the MIVA Championship for the second consecutive season after defeating No. 13 Purdue Fort Wayne in comeback fashion. The 3-1 win saw four Ramblers tally double-digit kills for the first time this season (Tischler, 13; Mahan, 12; Narup, 11; Leclair 10). Garrett Zolg and Avery Aylsworth each chipped in over 10 digs, with Aylsworth's 14 putting him one shy of 600 for his career. LUC put together a .331 attack to mark the fifth consecutive match eclipsing .300, the longest stretch of the season doing so.

A Look at the Flyers: The conference's top seed is hosting the tournament for the 15^th consecutive season, with Lewis holding that distinction for the first time since 2015. The Flyers boasted the most players on the All-MIVA first team with four, including the MIVA Player of the Year in Matt Yoshimoto who recently set the school record for aces in a season with 65 entering Saturday. Head coach Dan Friend was also named the MIVA Co-Coach of the Year, his second during his tenure with the Flyers. The No. 7-ranked team in the country hasn't dropped a set in its last six matches, most recently defeating Quincy and McKendree on its way to the MIVA championship. Opposite hitter Mitch Perinar has led the team with 25 kills (4.17 kills per set) on .667 hitting through the Flyers two postseason matches. In his last four appearances, Perinar is clubbing 3.58 kills per set with an efficient .549 attack percentage.
 
Series Stuff: Saturday will be the first postseason meeting between the two teams since 2016, and the first one in Romeoville since the 2015 MIVA Championship, a match the Ramblers captured in four sets. The Maroon and Gold are 6-5 all-time against Lewis in any playoff match, and enter Saturday winners in four of the last five in that department. Collin Mahan has faced the Flyers once in the postseason and tallied six digs and an ace. The Ramblers have not lost three times in a season to Lewis since 2000.
 
Up Next: The winner of Saturday's match will earn the MIVA's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Should the Ramblers win, they will learn their fate during Sunday's 'Selection Sunday' show airing at noon on NCAA.com.
 
#OnwardLU