CHICAGOÂ Â (September 3, 2021)
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In Short
Addie Barnes and
Sarah Murczek both recorded a double-double and Loyola University Chicago (2-2) hit a whopping .429 (49-8-97) as a team in a 25-12, 25-15, 25-11 rout of Eastern Kentucky (1-3) this afternoon in the Hampton Inn Chicago North/Loyola Station Rambler Challenge at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers have now won six of their last seven Rambler Challenge matches dating back to 2018.
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How It Happened
Loyola set the tone early, hitting a blistering .607 (18-1-28) in breezing to a 25-12 victory in the first set. The Ramblers overcame an early 3-1 deficit by assembling a 12-2 run, during which Barnes slammed four kills, as Loyola broke open a 13-5 advantage that would swell to as many as 14 points.
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Barnes helped key the Ramblers' quick start in the second set, tallying her only two kills of the frame during an initial 5-1 burst that put Loyola ahead to stay. Eastern Kentucky worked its way back within two points on a couple of occasions, the last coming at 7-5, but Murczek and
Anna Feldkamp ripped two kills apiece during a string of five unanswered points that pushed the LUC advantage to 12-5. Although it cooled off from its torrid hitting to open the match, Loyola still managed to hit .379 (145-4-29) in a 25-15 decision.
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Once again, the Ramblers scored five of the first six points in set three to stake claim to a lead and never looked back on the way to a 25-11 victory. Barnes came up big once again, cracking six kills at a .667 (6-0-9) accuracy rate, to lead the Maroon and Gold to its fourth win its last five tries versus non-league foes at Gentile Arena.
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A Look at the Numbers
- Barnes finished with 13 kills and 13 digs, Murczek contributed 12 kills and 12 digs and both hit .500 or better for the afternoon.
- Taylor Venuto and Feldkamp chipped in six kills each and Kelsey Watson added five kills, hitting .625 (5-0-8), with six blocks.
- The win was fourth-year head coach Amanda Berkley's 50thas the Ramblers' head coach.
- Anna Purichia led Eastern Kentucky with seven kills.
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Up Next
The Ramblers continue play in the two-day tournament tonight at 7:30 p.m. CT when they host SIU Edwardsville.
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