CHICAGO (April 10, 2021)
 
In Short
Devin Joslyn and Cole Schlothauer tallied 17 kills apiece to lead No. 11 Loyola University Chicago (14-5) to a 25-19, 25-21, 24-26, 25-23 victory over Lindenwood (5-13) tonight at The Alfie Norville Practice Facility in a quarterfinal match of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Tournament. With the win, the second-seeded Ramblers advance to next weekend's semifinal round, where they will face No. 3 seed McKendree.
 
How It Happened
Loyola, which played without the services of First Team All-MIVA opposite Luke Denton, hit .323 (14-4-31) in a 25-19 victory in set one, thanks largely to freshman middle blocker Ben Montplaisir, who totaled four kills on five swings. The Ramblers possessed a 9-8 lead until going on a 5-1 run that extended their advantage to 14-9, and from there, Loyola would not allow Lindenwood to get closer than four points the rest of the set, leading by as many as six points.
 
A Schlothauer kill preceded a Lions attack error that broke an 11-11 tie and gave Loyola the lead for good in a 25-21 win in set two. The Ramblers built their lead to three points (20-17), but Lindenwood rallied to get within a point on a pair of occasions after that, the last coming at 21-20. However, Schlothauer and Montplaisir teamed up on a block that sparked a set-closing 4-1 spurt that gave Loyola the victory.
 
Lindenwood used a 9-3 run in set three to seize a 13-9 lead that would grow to as many as five points before Loyola rallied to reclaim an advantage. Henry Payne's first kill of the night capped a 6-1 spurt that put the Ramblers back on top, 22-21, but Lindenwood closed out the set by tallying five of the final seven scores to stay alive in the match thanks to a 26-24 decision.
 
Loyola seemed in control with an 11-6 lead in set four, only to have Lindenwood storm back with five unanswered tallies to knot things up at 11-11, and from that point on, neither team led by more than two points. Late in the action, a kill by Montplaisir was followed by a Colton Brooks-Jimmy Meinhart-Garrett Zolg block that put the lead back in Loyola's hands for good, at 24-22, and following a Lions point on AJ Lewis' kill, Joslyn hammered home his 17^thkill of the evening to seal a 25-23 Loyola victory.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Josyln was sensational filling in for Denton at right side, totaling a career-best 17 kills and adding eight digs and four blocks, while hitting a hearty .500 (17-2-30).
• Schlothauer provided 17 kills, five blocks, four digs, three assists and a pair of aces and Montplaisir hit .667 (8-0-12) with season highs of eight kills and 10 blocks.
• Zolg handed out 45 assists and contributed eight digs and three blocks for Loyola, which won its 18^thstraight MIVA quarterfinal match at home.
• As a team, the Ramblers totaled 16.5 blocks.
• AJ Lewis led Lindenwood with 16 kills and seven digs.

 
Up Next
Loyola will host third-seeded McKendree in the MIVA Tournament semifinals next Saturday (April 17) at 5 p.m. CT.