Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Loyola University Chicago Athletics

See Schedule
Emily Banitt
3
Winner Loyola Chicago Loyola 8-7,7-7 MVC
1
UNI UNI 7-11,7-7 MVC
Winner
Loyola Chicago Loyola
8-7,7-7 MVC
3
Final
1
UNI UNI
7-11,7-7 MVC
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Loyola Chicago Loyola 25 18 26 25 (3)
UNI UNI 18 25 24 17 (1)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

Loyola Earns First-Ever Victory Over Northern Iowa

Emily Banitt and Sarah Murczek post double-doubles as Ramblers snap losing skid

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (March 22, 2021)
 
In Short
Freshman outside hitter Emily Banitt's 14 kills and 12 digs led Loyola University Chicago (8-7, 7-7, MVC) to a 25-18, 18-25, 26-24, 25-17 victory over host Northern Iowa (7-11, 7-7 MVC) tonight in a Missouri Valley Conference match at the McLeod Center. The win not only snapped the Ramblers' four-match losing skid, but also is Loyola's first victory over the Panthers in series history. UNI had won the previous 22 meetings between the teams.
 
How It Happened
Loyola led from wire to wire in the first set and used a 10-3 start to seize control on the way to a 25-18 victory. Kat Warpinski fired three service aces during that set-opening run, which proved to be key. After that initial punch, the Ramblers never allowed the Panthers within five points the rest of the set.
 
Three kills from Emily Holterhaus were critical in the Panthers' 8-3 spurt that broke a 10-all tie and gave UNI an 18-13 advantage they would maintain all the way through to a 25-18 decision in set two.
 
The Ramblers strung together an 11-3 run early in the third set that featured two kills apiece from Kelsey Watson and Sarah Murczek, to break a stalemate and open up an 18-10 lead. A pesky UNI squad wouldn't fold the tent and charged back to tie the score at 23-23 on a kill by Holterhaus. Following an exchange of points, Loyola, which hit .312 (16-1-48) for the set, got another kill from Watson and a Panthers hitting error to escape with a 26-24 win.
 
Kills from Banitt and Taylor Venuto, along with an ace from Jenna Appel, keyed a stretch of four consecutive tallies midway through the fourth set that gave the Ramblers a 15-11 lead they would never surrender on their way to a 25-17 decision. 
 
A Look at the Numbers
  • Banitt's double-double was her seventh of the season and the rookie also served up a pair of aces.
  • Murczek also collected her seventh double-double of the year by registering 10 kills and 10 digs and Watson chipped in eight kills.
  • Appel had a solid match, producing 35 assists, nine digs and eight total blocks.
  • Holterhaus led Northern Iowa with a match-best 19 kills.
 
Up Next
The Ramblers close out the regular season next weekend when they welcome Drake to The Alfie Norville Practice Facility, March 27 and 28.
 
Print Friendly Version