HONOLULU, Hawaii (Jan. 5, 2022) – The 2022 season has officially begun for the No. 7 Loyola University Chicago men's volleyball team as they faced No. 1 University of Hawaii. After three sets, the Ramblers were unable to pull out a win, resulting in a 3-0 loss for their first match of the season.
 
How It Happened
In all three sets, the Ramblers started off strong against the reigning national champions. However, they were unable to keep the momentum going in each of the three sets. 
 
At the start of the first set, the Ramblers and the Rainbow Warriors were exchanging points. But after these few points, it didn't take long for Hawaii to stomp on any spark the Ramblers had, causing a 25-14 loss to start the match. 
 
However, Loyola woke up in the second set, battling it out with the Rainbow Warriors the entire match. In the last two points, it was Hawaii who pushed ahead, which ended in a 25-23 loss for the Ramblers. 
 
Once the third set rolled around, Head Coach Mark Hulse made a minor change to the lineup to see if it would end in a different result. Even though they played strong, the Ramblers were not able to come out on top as they lost the third and final set 25-18. 
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Cole Schlothauer led Loyola Chicago in kills, registering a team-high 10 to start the season.
• Jimmy Meinhart continued where he left off in 2021, putting up three blocks in his first match of the season.
• Garrett Zolg is still the key playmaker for the Ramblers. He tallied 28 assists during this match.
• In the back row, Colton Brooks proved to be a major force for the Ramblers. He ended the night with eight digs, the most on the team. 

 
Up Next
The Ramblers still have one more game left in the Rainbow State as they remain in Honolulu until Friday, Jan. 7, to take on Hawaii yet again. They will play their second match against the top team in the nation beginning at 11 p.m. Central Time (7 p.m. Hawaii Time).