CHICAGO (October 3, 2021) - Loyola looks to equal its longest winning streak of the season (five matches) when it hosts perennial Missouri Valley Conference contender Northern Iowa Monday night before closing out a four-match homestand versus Valparaiso on October 8. The Ramblers are a perfect 5-0 at Gentile Arena this season and have won 12 of their last 14 contests in that venue dating back to the 2019 campaign.

At 4-0 in conference play, Loyola is the only unbeaten team in Valley competition this season. This marks the second time under fourth-year coach Amanda Berkley that the Ramblers have opened league play with four consecutive wins. In 2019, Loyola posted wins in each of its first six Valley outings, and in 2018, it won its first three league tilts.

Sophomore Anna Feldkamp has enjoyed the comforts of Gentile Arena this season and in her last four matches there, is posting an impressive .380 (25-6-50) hitting percentage. Last season, she ripped 11 kills and tallied five digs in a season-opening, five-set victory against Valparaiso in her collegiate debut. In her last five appearances at home versus MVC foes, the right side is hitting .271 (39-13-96) with 2.05 kills and 0.89 blocks per set.

Loyola is 10-0 this season when it captures set one and has won each of its last 12 matches when it claims the opening act. In fact, since the start of the 2020-21 campaign, the Ramblers are 20-1 when winning the first set of a match. 

Under fourth-year head coach Amanda Berkley, Loyola is 12-6 (.667) in the month of October. 

Loyola, which leads the Missouri Valley in hitting percentage (.250), is posting a .285 (104-34-246) efficiency over the last two matches and at Gentile Arena this season, the Ramblers are connecting at a .280 clip (285-101-658).

The Ramblers have collected eight or more league victories in each of the last three seasons and are halfway to hitting that milestone already this fall. Prior to this current stretch, Loyola had not recorded eight or more conference wins, regardless of league affiliation, in three straight seasons since doing so 12 years in a row from 1994 through 2005.

At Gentile Arena this fall, sophomore middle blocker Kelsey Watson is hitting at an impressive .368 (29-8-57) clip and contributing 1.53 kills and 1.11 blocks per set. Over the last two contests, the Ballwin, Mo., native is accounting for 1.43 kills per set and hitting a robust .474 (10-1-19).

Sarah Murczek averaged 3.44 kills and 3.22 digs per set versus Valpo last season. 

Scouting Northern Iowa

Northern Iowa has lost three of its four and five of its last seven matches heading into Monday night's showdown at Gentile Arena. The Panthers suffered through their first losing season since 1978 when they went 9-13 during a 2020-21 campaign that was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sophomore outside hitter Emily Holterhaus averages a team-best 2.57 kills per set and is also pitching in 2.28 digs per set and over her last three matches is hitting .297 (41-11-101) and providing 3.73 kills per set. After dropping the first 22 meetings with UNI, Loyola has won the last two matchups against the Panthers, but is 0-11 all-time against its league rival when playing in Rogers Park.

Scouting Valparaiso

Valparaiso enters the week having won five of its last six matches and also swept a weekend series from Indiana State and Evansville. The Beacons, who are an impressive 5-1 in true road contests this season, are limiting opponents to a league-low .160 hitting percentage. Led by a well-balanced attack keyed by Payton McCarthy, who averages 2.50 kills and 0.82 blocks per set while hitting .313 (140-43-310), Valpo also boasts the Valley's all-time digs leader in libero Rylee Cookerly, who is putting up a league-best 5.05 digs per set this fall. Loyola has taken three of the last four meetings versus its longtime nemesis and is 12-10 all-time against Valpo on the Lake Shore Campus.

Up Next

Loyola heads to the central part of the state next weekend to battle Illinois State (Oct. 15) and Bradley (Oct. 16).