Boxscore (PDF)

TOLEDO, Ohio (August 30, 2019)
 
In Short
Freshmen Taylor Venuto (16) and Addie Barnes (14) combined for 30 kills in their collegiate debuts, but Loyola University Chicago's (0-1) spirited effort fell just short in a 23-25, 25-22, 24-26, 25-22, 10-15 loss to Western Kentucky (1-0) this afternoon in the opening match of the Blue & Gold Tournament. 
 
How It Happened
After Western Kentucky built an 8-4 lead by using a 7-1 run, Loyola charged back, scoring six unanswered points, starting with a block by Heather Kocken and Delilah Wolf and capped with a Sarah Murczek service ace, to grab a 10-8 advantage. The Hilltoppers would go on to erase a two-point deficit before the Ramblers evened the tally at 13. However, back-to-back scores gave WKU control of the set and it would lead by as many as four (20-16) until the Ramblers mounted one last comeback. Another ace from Murczek punctuated a 3-0 spurt that brought Loyola within a point (20-19), but that was as close as the Ramblers would get in a 25-23 setback.
 
A pair of kills from Barnes were part of a set-opening 7-1 run for Loyola, which hit .237 in the set, that forced Western Kentucky to burn a timeout to try and regroup. Loyola's lead would balloon to as many as nine (19-10) on a kill from Kocken, but the Hilltoppers made things dicey late in the set, closing within 24-22, before a kill from Venuto closed out the proceedings.
 
Set three was a back-and-forth battle until late when Western Kentucky strung together four unanswered tallies to seize what appeared to be a commanding 24-20 edge. But, a resilient Loyola squad refused to go down without a fight and thanks to a pair of stops from Venuto as part of a 4-0 burst, knotted the score at 24. However, hopes for a stirring come-from-behind victory were squelched as the Hilltoppers posted the final two points of the set to claim a 26-24 decision.
 
Much like set two, Loyola sprinted out to big lead early, scoring the first six points of the fourth set for a seemingly comfortable 6-0 edge. The lead stood at 14-8 midway through the set when WKU rallied back to get within a point, at 15-14. Loyola's advantage stood at 19-18 when a lengthy delay ensued over a challenge call. The point was finally awarded to Loyola, which would hold on for a 25-22 victory, closing out the set on a Barnes ace.
 
Western Kentucky broke free early, posting back-to-back points to break a 3-3 stalemate and claim the lead for good in the fifth set. The Hilltoppers held a 10-6 advantage, but back-to-back kills from Venuto sliced the deficit in half and gave the Ramblers hopes of a comeback, but ultimately their rally fell short in a 15-10 setback. 
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Loyola started three freshmen in the match and all had outstanding debuts, with Venuto tallying a team-high 16 kills, while hitting at a .375 clip (16-4-32). 
• Barnes added 14 kills and 10 digs for a double-double in her Rambler debut, while rookie setter Katie Mather doled out 50 assists and totaled 11 digs.
• Kocken pitched in 13 kills for the Ramblers, who also got 28 digs from Maddy Moser in her return to action after missing the 2018 season with a knee injury.
• Quinn Spieker added nine kills and 15 digs for Loyola, which hit .183 for the match.
• Paige Briggs paced Western Kentucky with a match-best 18 kills.

 
Up Next
Loyola is back in action at the Blue & Gold Tournament tomorrow when it takes on North Dakota State at 9 a.m. CT and host Toledo at 6 p.m. CT.