LORETTO, Pa. (January 30, 2021)
 
In Short
Led by 21 kills from Cole Schlothauer, Loyola University Chicago (4-0) stayed unbeaten in 2021 and slipped past host Saint Francis (Pa.), 28-30, 25-17, 25-16, 23-25, 15-10, this afternoon at DeGol Arena. The Ramblers have won their first four matches of 2021 and continue their best start since the 2015 club opened the year with 13 straight wins on its way to a second straight NCAA championship.
 
How It Happened
Loyola let a 21-18 lead slip away in the first set, and the Ramblers were serving for set point, leading 24-23, until a kill from Michael Fisher tied the score. The teams exchanged points for a bit before a Red Flash service error moved Loyola back on top, 28-27, but Saint Francis (Pa.) closed out a come-from-behind, 30-28 victory with three unanswered points.
 
The Ramblers bounced back in set two, scoring the first three points as they stormed out to a commanding 11-4 lead, thanks in part to a pair of kills from Colton Brooks, and Andrew Lyons also had a hand in three blocks during that stretch. That initial blow proved too much for Saint Francis (Pa.) to overcome as Loyola hit .333 (9-2-21) to breeze to a 25-17 decision.
 
Loyola carried the momentum of that set two victory into the third set and orchestrated a 10-3 run to open up a 17-10 lead it would never relinquish on the way to a 25-16 win. Schlothauer produced three kills during that decisive run, while Jimmy Meinhart also played a pivotal role with a kill and a pair of blocks.
 
Saint Francis responded by tallying seven of the first nine points of the fourth set and extended its lead to as many as nine points (13-4) before Loyola muscled its way back into the contest. A 14-7 Ramblers run was punctuated by an Andrew Lyons/Cole Schlothauer block that got Loyola within 20-18, and later it would close the gap to 24-23, but once again, Fisher came up with a big point when the Red Flash needed it, to squelch the rally.
 
Loyola found itself in a two-point hole (8-6) midway through the fifth set before it rattled off four consecutive scores to snatch the lead for good, at 10-8, and it outscored Saint Francis, 9-2 down the stretch to escape with a 15-10 victory. The Ramblers came up big at the net in the final set, registering four blocks.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Schlothauer finished with 21 kills, hitting .357 (21-6-42) with six digs, and he was the only Rambler to reach double figures in stops. The redshirt sophomore outside hitter has recorded 10 or more kills in all four outings this season.
• Luke Denton put up eight kills and eight digs and Brooks totaled seven kills, seven digs, five blocks and two service aces. 
• Lyons produced five kills on seven swings (.571) and added a team-best seven blocks for Loyola, which totaled 13 blocks as a team.
• Fisher spearheaded the Red Flash's attack, notching 21 kills.

 
Up Next
Loyola commences Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association competition next weekend when it plays at Quincy on February 5 and 6.