ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (April 24, 2021)
 
In Short
Ryan Coenen and Kyle Bugee tallied 10 kills apiece to lead top-seeded Lewis (20-2) to a 25-14, 25-22,25-19 victory over second-seeded Loyola University Chicago (15-6) in the championship match of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) Tournament tonight at Neil Carey Arena. The Ramblers were in search of their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2015. 
 
How It Happened
Lewis scored six of the first seven points of the opening set and never looked back on the way to a 25-14 victory. The Ramblers got within 11-8 on a Cole Schlothauer kill, but an ensuing Loyola service error sparked a 5-1 Flyers run that extended their lead to 16-9 in a set in which they hit a scorching .500 (11-2-18).
 
Four consecutive Loyola errors turned a tie in an 8-4 Lewis edge in the second set, but the Ramblers fought their way back and knotted things up at 10-10 on a Luke Denton/Ben Montplaisir block. However, three straight Lewis kills, by three different players, provided the host Flyers with the lead for good and they held off a late Loyola rally for a 25-22 decision.
 
In set three, Lewis strung together a 5-1 run to break a 4-4 tie and open up a 9-5 lead it would never relinquish as it rolled to a 25-19 victory to sweep the match. 
 
A Look at the Numbers

• As a team, the Ramblers hit just .115 (27-18-78) and were led by nine kills from Schlothauer and eight from Denton.
• Lewis posted a .364 (39-11-77) attack percentage and totaled 9.0 blocks.
• MIVA Player of the Year Ryan Coenen provided the Flyers with 10 kills, four digs and five blocks.
• Schlothauer and Garrett Zolg were named to the MIVA Tournament All-Tournament along with Ryan Coenen (Lewis), who was named Most Valuable Player, Kevin Kauling (Lewis), Tyler Mitchem (Lewis), Blake Reardon (Ball State) and Francisco Comas (McKendree).

 
Up Next
Loyola's season comes to an end. This marks the sixth time in the last eight years that the MIVA Tournament was played that Loyola has advanced to the championship match. The Ramblers will welcome back nearly their entire roster in 2022, with only senior outside hitter Devin Joslyn departing.