In Short
The Loyola University Chicago men's volleyball team recorded its second-best hitting percentage all season and upset Ohio State, 3-1 tonight at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers improve to 5-9 (2-2 MIVA) this season. As a team, the Ramblers registered a season-best 10.0 blocks, while Cole Schlothauer led the Ramblers with 17 kills, eight digs and three blocks.
 
Coach Mark Hulse's Thoughts
"I really loved the way we played," Hulse said. "I thought the guys were really tough, played with some passion and some emotion. We flew around, we were just sticking together, we were dealing with some of the failure. Ohio State is just tough. They put a lot of pressure on you with the way they serve and the way they play. I thought we just dealt with that in a way that we've been working on getting to."
 
How It Happened
The Ramblers kicked off set one with a 4-1 lead, splitting points between a Luke Denton kill, a Anton Frank ace and another kill from Schlothauer. Ohio State then called a timeout when Frank, Denton and Schlothauer combined for a huge block to give Loyola a 10-4 advantage. Ohio State would later go on a pair of 3-0 runs to bring it within three, 15-12. The Ramblers held on as Kyler Kotsakis entered the game to serve and Schlothauer launched a kill from the outside to bring the Ramblers to a 19-13 lead and an Ohio State timeout. Loyola would go on to win, 25-20. Schlothauer finished with six kills in the set.
 
Ohio State snagged the first two points in the second set, but Frank posted back-to-back aces to give the Ramblers a 3-2 lead. After the Buckeyes went on a 3-0 run, Loyola tied it back up 6-6 with a kill from Devin Joslyn. The Ramblers would slightly trail for the remainder of the set, as Ohio State posted a whopping .571 attack percentage and won set two, 25-21.
 
Neither team led by more than three for the start of the third set, until the Ramblers went on a 7-1 run for a 14-9 lead. Four of Loyola's points in their run were two kills from Schlothauer, a kill from Andrew Lyons and another from Joslyn. Ohio State called one last timeout after Joslyn/Kyle Piekarski posted a huge block. The Buckeyes attempted to close the gap,  but Kotsakis came off the bench to serve an ace and the Ramblers stayed with it to win set three, 25-20.
 
Both teams battled through a nail-biter in set four, exchanging points before Loyola took a 9-6 lead after a kill from Schlothauer, a block from Lyons/Denton and a kill from Joslyn. Loyola maintained its advantage, eventually pulling ahead 17-12 to force an Ohio State timeout. Schlothauer was up next and served an ace to give Loyola its largest lead of set before the Buckeyes attempted to chip away. With a 21-14 Loyola lead, Ohio State called another timeout. Coming off the break, the Buckeyes went on a 3-0 run to bring it to 22-18. The teams battled to a 24-22 score at set point, but Schlothauer put it away for the 25-22 victory.
 
 
A Look At The Numbers
- Schlothauer and Joslyn recorded double-digit kills for the Ramblers. Schlothauer led with 17 while Joslyn added 13.
- Frank posted a career-high three aces, including back-to-back aces in set two.
- Loyola posted nine aces as a team and registered a .356 hitting percentage, both second-bests this season.
 
Up Next
The Maroon & Gold are back at Gentile Arena tomorrow night to host Ball State at 7 p.m. The men's volleyball team is partnering up with the Loyola women's basketball team to host Pride Day. Tickets are available for $5 to attend the doubleheader, which begins at 2 p.m.