CHICAGO (April 22, 2021) - For the fifth time since 2013, second-seeded Loyola University Chicago (15-5) will square off with No. 1 seed Lewis (19-2) in the championship match of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Tournament, with the winner earning a berth to the NCAA Tournament. A victory over the Flyers would give the Ramblers their fourth NCAA appearance in program history and first since 2015 when they claimed the second of consecutive national titles.

All time, Loyola is 3-9 in MIVA Tournament championship matches, with those three wins coming in consecutive seasons, from 2013 through 2015, all against Lewis. The Ramblers are 2-2 in Romeoville, Ill., versus the Flyers in MIVA championship contests.

The last No. 2 seed to win the MIVA Tournament championship, ironically enough, was Loyola in 2015, when it knocked off top-seeded Lewis in the championship match and would later defeat the Flyers in an epic NCAA championship contest for its second straight national title.

In two matches against Lewis this season, redshirt sophomore outside hitter Cole Schlothauer is going for 4.25 kills and 1.88 digs per set, while hitting .288 (34-11-80).

This season, Loyola has posted a 6-2 record in true road matches and has won each of its last three contests played away from Chicago.

Loyola – Lewis – The Series

Longtime local rivals Loyola and Lewis are meeting for the 65th time in a series that goes back to 1996. The Ramblers have stumbled in nine of the last 11 meetings with the Flyers, and have dropped six straight. Prior to that recent 11-match stretch however, Loyola had claimed nine of the previous 11 matchups between the teams. This will be the sixth meeting overall between the teams in the MIVA Tournament finals, and fifth since 2013, and Loyola is 3-3 against the Flyers in conference championship contests. When the teams last met, on April 2 in Rogers Park, Lewis escaped with a 3-2 victory despite 22 kills from Luke Denton.

Scouting Lewis

Lewis has won 11 straight matches and 14 of its last 15 heading into Saturday's MIVA Tournament championship. During their 11-match winning streak, the Flyers are an incredible 33-2 in sets played, with the only two losses coming at the hands of Loyola on April 2. At Neil Carey Arena this season, Lewis is 11-1, losing only to then-No. 13 McKendree (3-1) on February 26. MIVA Player of the Year Ryan Coenen is one of three Flyers to earn First Team All-MIVA recognition this season, and the outside hitter is posting 4.48 kills, 1.55 digs and 0.81 blocks per set, while hitting at a .346 (327-85-700) clip.

Up Next

The winner of Saturday's match earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.