PEORIA, Ill. (October 16, 2021)
 
In Short
In a match befitting the top two teams in the Missouri Valley Conference standings, Loyola University Chicago (14-6, 7-1 MVC) got 15 kills each from Taylor Venuto and Emily Banitt to rally for a wild 21-25, 25-19, 28-26, 19-25, 15-11 victory over host Bradley (9-10, 5-3 MVC) tonight at Renaissance Coliseum. In the process, the Ramblers, who have won seven of their last eight matches, extended their lead atop The Valley standings to two matches.
 
How It Happened
Karlie McNabb drilled five kills in set one, but Loyola was unable to overcome a Bradley arsenal that hit .353 (15-3-34) in a 25-21 decision. The Ramblers led by as many as three points early but a string of four unanswered Braves tallies gave Bradley the lead for good at 12-10. After Bradley extended its lead to 18-13, McNabb crushed three kills in a 5-1 Loyola spurt that trimmed the deficit to 19-18, but the Ramblers couldn't get over the hump in dropping the opening set.
 
Loyola's attack was nearly unstoppable in a 25-19 set-two victory, hitting at a sizzling .394 (16-6-33) clip. The Ramblers jumped all over the Braves from the outset, scoring nine of the first 11 points to build a commanding 9-2 advantage. Aces from Venuto and Sarah Murczek highlighted that set-opening surge that also featured two kills from Addie Barnes and a block and a kill from Venuto. Bradley chopped the Ramblers' lead down to two points (12-10), but Venuto responded with a kill and a solo block to open up a decisive stretch of six straight tallies that extended the advantage to 18-10.
 
Set three offered plenty of runs and drama in a set the Ramblers emerged from with a thrilling 28-26 victory. Bradley picked up six of the first seven points to seize an early advantage, but the Ramblers methodically chipped away at the Braves' lead and were within three points, at 14-11, when a kill from Banitt ignited an 11-4 run that appeared to put the Maroon and Gold in control, up 22-18. Bradley wouldn't go down easy however, and stormed back to tie the set at 24-24. The Braves moved ahead 26-25, but a Kelsey Watson kill evened things up and a Venuto/McNabb block and a kill from Venuto closed out the victory.
 
The Braves sent the match to a fifth and final set with a 25-19 victory in set four. Bradley put the game away with five consecutive points late in the proceedings, turning a tie score into a 23-18 advantage.
 
Watson came up big in the fifth set, tallying a pair of kills and a block to lead Loyola to a 15-11 victory. With the score deadlocked at 4-4, the sophomore middle blocker pounded down a kill and then paired up with Anna Feldkamp on a block to open up a 4-0 Loyola run that gave it the lead for good. Bradley inched back within two points on a pair of occasions, the last at 10-8, but a kill from Venuto was followed by Murczek's second ace of the evening to seal the outcome.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Loyola went to five sets for just the third time this season and collected its first victory in a match that went the distance since September 4 versus Xavier.
• Venuto's 15 kills are her most since tallying 17 stops in back-to-back matches against SIU Edwardsville (Sept. 3) and Xavier (Sept. 4) earlier this season. The junior middle hitter hit .433 (15-2-30) tonight and added four blocks, two digs and an ace.
• Banitt's 15 kills are a season high and her most since going for 15 versus Missouri State in the quarterfinal round of the MVC Championship on April 1.
• Barnes picked up her sixth double-double of the year by registering 12 kills and 17 digs to go with three blocks and an ace, while setters Jenna Appel (28 assists, 11 digs) and Lane Jenkins (29 assists, 11 digs) also notched double-doubles.
• Watson equaled a season high with nine kills and totaled four blocks, while hitting at a .333 (9-2-21) clip.
• The win was Loyola's second this season when dropping the opening set. The Ramblers rallied to down Southern Illinois (Sept. 25) after stumbling in the opening set.
• Hannah Thompson led Bradley with match highs of 19 kills and 20 digs.

 
Up Next
Loyola, which is 7-0 at home this season, looks to stay unbeaten at Gentile Arena when it hosts Southern Illinois Friday night (Oct. 22).