CHICAGO (October 22, 2021)
 
In Short
Taylor Venuto tallied 12 kills, seven blocks, three service aces and a pair of assists, while hitting .476 (12-2-21), to lead Missouri Valley Conference leader Loyola University Chicago (15-6, 8-1 MVC) to a 25-21, 25-23, 16-25, 25-21 victory over Southern Illinois (5-17, 0-9 MVC) tonight at Gentile Arena. The win is the Ramblers' eighth in a row at home and keeps them perfect on their home floor this fall.
 
How It Happened
Two kills each from Venuto and Addie Barnes helped the Ramblers sprint out to a 7-3 lead in the first set, but Southern Illinois responded with four straight tallies to draw even. The teams battled back and forth until the Salukis capped off a spurt of three straight scores with back-to-back blocks for a 16-13 edge. Loyola chipped away at SIU's lead and tied things up at 19-19 on a Venuto/Emily Baniitt block, and a few points later rode Barnes' back down the stretch for a 25-21 victory, with the junior outside hitter cracking three kills as Loyola scored for the final five points of the set for the win.
 
The Ramblers got off to a quick start then held off a late Southern Illinois rally for a 25-23 decision in the second set. Loyola appeared in complete control, leading 23-14 late in the set, only to have the Salukis charge back and close within a point (24-23), thanks to a 9-1 run. Venuto rescued the Ramblers, drilling her third kill of the set to cap the win and allow the Gentile Arena crowd to exhale.
 
Set three belonged to SIU, which hit .333 (14-430) on the way to a 25-16 victory. An 8-2 Salukis run snapped a 7-7 stalemate and gave the visitors a commanding 15-9 lead they would never surrender.
 
Two more kills from Venuto were part of a 6-1 burst early in set four that put the Ramblers ahead to stay, at 7-3. Southern Illinois worked its way back within a point, but by depositing two kills and adding a block in an 11-5 surge Loyola surge, Venuto provided a spark that helped stretch Loyola's advantage to 19-12. The Salukis made Rambler fans sweat yet again, trimming the Loyola lead to three points (24-21), but Anna Feldkamp's kill provided the final tally in a 25-21 victory.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Barnes finished with 12 kills and three blocks, delivering half of her kills during the first set.
• Kelsey Watson had another productive evening, recording nine kills and three blocks, while hitting at a .312 clip (9-4-16), and Feldkamp finished with six kills and five stuffs, with a .556 (6-1-9) hitting percentage.
• Loyola is now 13-0 this season when it wins the first set of the match.
• This marks the first time since 2002 that the Ramblers have opened conference play by winning at least eight of their first nine league contests.
• Nataly Garcia paced the Salukis with 16 kills, while Alex Washington adding 14 stops.

 
Up Next
Loyola closes out the weekend set tomorrow afternoon when it hosts Missouri State at 4 p.m.