In Short…
Taylor Venuto racked up a career-high 20 kills, pacing a group of four Ramblers in double figures in the category, as Loyola University Chicago (7-3, 6-3) knocked off Missouri State (11-3, 7-2 MVC) in five sets (25-21, 20-25, 25-15, 19-25, 15-10) this afternoon inside the Alfie Norville Practice Facility.
 
Head Coach Amanda Berkley's Thoughts…
"What a win today.  It was a total team effort.  I'm really proud of the group for coming out, being ready to compete, and cheering each other on."
 
How It Happened
After seeing Missouri State edge out to a 7-5 lead to open the day, two Venuto kills provided the bookends to a 7-0 Rambler run that pushed the Maroon & Gold in front, 12-7.  Loyola kept its foot on the gas, pushing the lead to 20-11 on another Venuto spike.  The visiting Bears looked to mount a late surge, pulling back within three, 24-21, following a Rambler attack error, but Elle Van Grinsven put to rest any doubt, notching her third kill of the opening set to seal a 25-21 victory.
 
Missouri State flipped the script from the first set in the second stanza, using an 8-0 spurt to turn a 6-5 Loyola lead into a 13-6 deficit for the Ramblers.  Kills from Van Grinsven and Emily Banitt cut the margin to four, 13-9, but the Bears answered back with the set's next four points to open up a 17-9 lead.  Loyola refused to go quietly, closing the gap to 23-20 on a service ace by Sarah Murczek, but back-to-back kills from Brooklyn Cink closed out a 25-20 win for the Bears in set two.
 
Kelsey Watson had her hand in a pair of tandem blocks that pushed Loyola out to an early 8-5 lead in the set three.  After a Kat Warpinski service ace made it 13-8, Watson joined up with Jenna Appel for a denial that gave the Ramblers a 14-8 advantage.  Missouri State would get no closer than four the rest of the way, as a Murczek kill capped off a 25-15 triumph and put Loyola ahead in the match, 2-1.
 
With its back to the wall, Missouri State started fast in a pivotal fourth set, racing in front, 13-7.  Aided by a pair of attack errors, Loyola roared back, trimming its deficit to one, 13-12, after a Venuto kill.  Following a Watson spike that cut the Missouri State lead to 18-16, the Bears rattled off four straight points, opening up a 22-16 lead en route to taking the set, 25-19, and evening the match at two sets apiece.
 
Venuto and Van Grinsven came together for a block that capped off a 4-0 Rambler run, pushing Loyola out to a 5-2 lead in the fifth set.  The Bears responded with a block of their own to chip the Maroon & Gold's lead to two, 11-9, before kills from Van Grinsven, Watson, and Murczek put Loyola on the doorstep, 14-9.  Van Grinsven put it away shortly after, hammering home to close out a 15-10 win.
 
A Look At The Numbers
- Venuto was terrific, hitting a sizzling .500 (20-4-32) en route to finishing with a career-best 20 kills.
- Murczek added 14 kills, while Banitt finished with a double-double, chipping in 13 kills and 12 digs.
- Van Grinsven rounded out a quartet of Ramblers with double-digit kills with 11.
- Appel dished out a season-high 58 assists, while Grace Hinchman finished with a team-high 29 digs.
- Loyola hit .364 (11-3-22) in the fifth set.
- Amelia Flynn led Missouri State with 22 kills.
 
Up Next
Loyola and Missouri State battle again on Monday at 2 p.m.