CHICAGO (March 25, 2021) - The sun sets on the regular season this weekend when Loyola (8-7, 7-7 MVC) hosts Drake in a two-match series at The Alfie Norville Practice Facility. Last weekend, the Ramblers snapped a four-match slide and also picked up their first-ever win over Northern Iowa, when they topped the Panthers in four sets on March 22. Dating back to last season, Loyola is 10-4 (.714) at home in Missouri Valley Conference action. Loyola is jockeying for seeding position for next week's MVC Championship in Normal, Ill., and enters the weekend tied for sixth place in The Valley race.

Loyola-Drake – The Series

Saturday's match will be the 25th meeting all time between the Ramblers and Bulldogs and Loyola leads the series, 15-9 and has won 10 of the last 14 outings, including each of the last three. Loyola is 7-3 against Drake when playing in Chicago, but has been defeated in two of the last three matchups in Rogers Park. Last season, the Ramblers swept the regular-season series, winning in four sets at Gentile Arena and in five sets in Des Moines. In the last meeting between the teams, Addie Barnes totaled 16 kills and 14 digs and Heather Kocken added 16 kills of her own as the Ramblers held on for a 3-2 victory at the Knapp Center.

Scouting Drake

A year after going 9-22 overall and 3-15 in Missouri Valley Conference play, Drake is on a roll and has won six consecutive matches heading into this weekend. Picked to finish ninth in the MVC Preseason Poll, the Bulldogs are 3-2 in true road contests this year and bring a 12-5 overall mark and 10-4 league ledger into the series. Outside hitter Haley Bush (4.40 kills, 2.64 digs per set) and opposite Emily Plock (3.68 kills, 1.58 digs, 0.62 blocks per set) head up the Drake offensive attack. Bush leads The Valley with 4.40 kills per set, while libero Kylee Macke paces the league with 5.63 digs per set.

Up Next

Loyola will head to the MVC Championship in Normal, Ill., April 1-3.