CHICAGO (September 1, 2021) - After opening the season last weekend by facing two nationally ranked teams at the Golden Dome Invitational hosted by the University of Notre Dame, Loyola returns to Chicago to host the Rambler Challenge for its first home matches of the 2021 campaign. This will be the Ramblers' first contest in Gentile Arena since November 2019 since the team played its home matches in The Alfie Norville Practice Facility in 2020-21 due to COVID-19. Only five members of the Loyola roster - Addie Barnes, Kasey Bell, Paige Kaufman, Sarah Murczek and Taylor Venuto - have ever played a match in Gentile Arena. 

Under fourth-year head coach Amanda Berkley, Loyola is 5-1 in in-season tournament matches at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers captured the title of the Rambler Challenge in 2018 before taking second place in 2019. Dating back to the 2019 campaign, Loyola has won three of the last four nonconference matches played on its home floor.

Eastern Kentucky assistant coach Jeff Patton played for the Loyola men's volleyball program in 2012 and 2013 and helped the Ramblers reach the NCAA Final Four in 2013. Prior to arriving at Eastern Kentucky, he was a volunteer assistant coach for the women's volleyball program at Northwestern University, where he worked under former Loyola men's volleyball coach Shane Davis, who guided the Maroon and Gold to back-to-back NCAA championships in 2014 and 2015.

Olivia Lovett became the third Rambler freshman in as many seasons to record a double-double in her collegiate debut when she produced 11 kills and 13 digs in last Friday's victory over Oakland. In 2019, Addie Barnes totaled 14 kills and 10 digs against Western Kentucky in her first outing as a Rambler and last season, Emily Banitt tallied 12 kills and 12 digs in the season opener versus Valparaiso.

Scouting Eastern Kentucky

The Colonels opened up the 2021 season last weekend at the Appalachian Invitational, where they took down UNC Greensboro for their only win at the event. Junior middle blocker Hannah Keating leads a balanced EKU attack with 2.92 kills per set and is hitting .394 (38-10-71).

Scouting SIU Edwardsville

SIUE went 1-2 last weekend at the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational, where it opened the season with a three-set loss to Evansville. Redshirt junior Annie Ellis had a solid weekend in Fort Wayne, totaling 1.92 kills and 1.25 blocks per set, while hitting at a .412 (23-251) clip. Outside hitter Sydney Hummert, a freshman, paces the Cougars with 2.33 kills per set and also contributes 2.08 digs and 0.58 blocks per set.

Scouting Xavier

After opening the year with a victory over South Carolina State, Xavier has stumbled in back-to-back, four-set outings versus Charlotte and Colorado. Led by senior outside hitter Norah Painter, who puts up 3.10 kills and 3.10 digs per set, the Musketeers are hitting .241 as a team. Right side Moriah Hopkins pitches in 3.09 kills per set for Xavier, which went 1-2 in neutral site matches in 2019.

Up Next

Loyola will compete in the K-State Invitational in Manhattan, Kan., September 9 and 10. The Ramblers open the tournament when they face Ohio at 10 a.m. on September 9.