CHICAGO (February 1, 2021)
 
In Short
Host Valparaiso (2-1, 1-1 MVC) got 16 kills from Peyton McCarthy to earn a 27-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-21 victory over Loyola University Chicago (2-1, 1-1 MVC) this afternoon at the Athletics-Recreation Center. The loss snaps the Ramblers' two-match winning streak to open the spring 2021 campaign. Sarah Murczek and Emily Banitt each recorded a double-double for the third time in as many matches this season.
 
How It Happened
Neither team led by more than three points in a closely contested opening set that Valparaiso eventually pulled out, 27-25. A Taylor Venuto kill evened the score at 22-22 and then the teams traded tallies for a short period until a Peyton McCarthy kill and a Loyola attack error closed out the Crusaders' two-point victory.
 
Back-to-back kills from Jillie Grant and McCarthy broke an early tie and gave Valpo a 5-3 lead they would never relinquish on the way to a 25-18 victory in the second set. Loyola trailed 9-6 until a kill from Venuto and an ensuing block courtesy of Venuto and Anna Feldkamp cut the deficit to 9-8, but a 7-3 Valpo spurt gave the hosts some cushion and a 16-11 advantage. The Ramblers got as close as three points at 18-15, however the Crusaders tallied four of the next five points to run their lead to 22-16.
 
Loyola scored the first five points, two on kills from Venuto, in set three to grab an early lead and it kept Valpo at arm's length until late in the set. Four unanswered Crusaders tallies erased a three-point Ramblers advantage and moved Valpo ahead, 22-21. However, Loyola maintained its composure and used the magnificent serving of Sarah Murczek, who tallied a pair of aces in a set-closing 4-0 run that extended the contest by giving the Ramblers a 25-22 win.
 
Valpo stole momentum right back at the outset of the fourth set, sprinting to a 5-1 lead that forced a Loyola timeout. That break seemed to right the Ramblers' ship and Emily Banitt drilled two kills and had a hand in a block during a 4-0 burst that knotted the score at 5-5. Moments later, with the teams deadlocked at 8-8, Valpo reeled off three unanswered points to break open an 11-8 lead that grew to 17-13.
 
The Ramblers refused to go down without a fight and put together an 8-3 run that was punctuated by back-to-back kills from Katie Mather and Murczek for a 21-20 lead, their first since recording the first point of the set. Unfortunately, that lead was short-lived and a Haley Hart kill sparked a set-closing 5-0 run that gave Valpo a 25-20 victory.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Banitt finished with 13 kills and 12 digs to go with four blocks for her third double-double in as many contests to start her collegiate career.
• Murczek ripped 15 kills and added 15 digs for her third straight double-double.
• Venuto totaled seven kills and seven blocks and freshman Anna Feldkamp delivered eight kills.

 
Up Next
Loyola heads to Southern Illinois for a pair of matches, February 7 and 8.