CHICAGO (October 20, 2022) - Loyola (15-7, 9-0 A-10) looks to stay unbeaten in Atlantic 10 Conference play and atop the league standings when it travels to Rhode Island for a pair of matches on Friday-Saturday. The Ramblers have won nine straight matches and are off to their best start in league play, regardless of conference affiliation, in program history.

Loyola's current nine-match win streak is its longest since capturing 11 consecutive outings, September 4-24, 2015. Dating back to the 2019 season, the Ramblers have won 21 of their last 24 (.875) matches during the month of October.

Through matches of October 19, as a team, the Ramblers ranked fourth in NCAA Division I play with 1,134 kills and fifth in the nation with 1,038 assists. 

Karlie McNabb is tallying team-high 3.10 kills per set while hitting at a .207 clip (161-69-445) on the season. The junior outside hitter has turned it on during conference play, producing an impressive 3.83 kills per set.

The last time out, Loyola had contributions up and down the lineup as four different players notched at least nine kills against George Mason (Oct. 15).

McNabb and Emily Banitt provided 11 kills apiece to pace the Loyola attack, with McNabb also pitching in four digs, four blocks and three aces, while Banitt added five digs, three blocks and hit .364 (11-3-22). Taylor Venuto contributed nine kills and six blocks on the afternoon and Kelsey Watson narrowly missed a double-double with nine kills and nine rejections of her own. Setter Bree Borum picked up another double-double, her ninth of the season, by totaling 27 assists and 10 digs, while adding a pair of aces and two blocks.

Scouting Rhode Island
Rhode Island is coming off a 3-1 win over Duquesne last Saturday, which snapped a 10-match losing streak. The Rams are 5-17 (1-8 A-10) overall with four of their five wins coming on their home floor. Redshirt freshman Hope Passerello was named this week's Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week, after averaging 9.29 assists per set in two matches. Senior Claire Wagner leads Rhody with 3.47 kills per set, along with junior Brynne Wright who holds a team-high 198 total kills.

Up Next
The Ramblers have a quick turnaround with three upcoming home matches next week, beginning with Tuesday night's showdown against Saint Louis at Gentile Arena.