CHICAGO (March 11, 2021) - Loyola, which has won three of its last four road matches in Missouri Valley Conference play, makes the trip to Peoria for a pivotal two-match series versus Bradley, March 14 and 15. The Ramblers will play four of their final six contests of the spring 2021 campaign away from home and this weekend's tilts open a four-match road trip. Since opening the year by winning four of its first five outings, Loyola has split its last six matches.

Loyola is 20-8 (.714) in the last 28 regular season MVC contests after going just 12-24 (.333) over the 2017 and 2018 campaigns. Loyola is 6-0 this season when begins the match with a victory in set one but is only 1-4 when dropping the opener.

Through 11 matches, the Ramblers' freshman class has accounted for 49.8 percent (281 of 564) of the team's kills and 68.1 percent (524 of 769) of its digs this season.

 

Loyola – Bradley – The Series

Loyola and Bradley are meeting for the 46th time in a series that began in 1978 and the Ramblers possess a 28-17 advantage in the previous matchups. Winner of 10 of the last 13 meetings overall between the clubs, Loyola has captured four of the last six matches in Peoria, including a 3-0 win last season on the strength of 13 kills and 14 digs from Addie Barnes and 10 kills from Taylor Venuto. Five of the last six encounters between these teams have gone the full five sets, including a 3-2 Loyola victory on November 15, 2019 at Gentile Arena. Quinn Spieker totaled 16 kills and 16 digs that night to give the Ramblers their 20th win of the year.

Scouting Bradley

The Braves have prevailed in seven of their last eight matches after falling in three of their first four outings this season and they are an unblemished 5-0 at Renaissance Coliseum, where they have won seven straight contests. Outside hitter Hannah Thompson, a Preseason All-MVC pick, is having a stellar season, averaging a team-high 3.67 kills and 5.21 digs per set while right side Karagan Coggin pitches in 2.40 kills, 1.05 digs and 0.84 blocks per set. Freshman middle Abby Johnson helped the Braves rebound from their first loss since February 8 when she clubbed 19 kills in a four-set victory against Valparaiso last Monday.

Up Next

Loyola concludes a four-match road swing next weekend when it visits Northern Iowa, March 21 and 22.