CHICAGO (November 12, 2022)
 
In Short…
A fast start helped Loyola University Chicago (23-8, 17-1 A-10) close the regular season undefeated at home with a program record 17 conference wins, after defeating Davidson (20-9, 14-4 A-10) in four sets on Saturday at Gentile Arena: 25-13, 25-13, 21-25, 25-21. Karlie McNabb (12 kills/10 digs) and Bree Borum (29 assists/15 digs) each recorded a double-double to lead the Ramblers.

Loyola honored its seniors in a post-match ceremony, featuring Sarah Murczek, Paige Kaufman, Kasey Bell, Bayley McMenimen, and Madi Corey.
 
How It Happened
Still riding a wave of emotion after clinching the A-10 regular season crown less than 24 hours earlier, Loyola jumped all over Davidson from the onset in Set 1. Two Kelsey Watson kills bookended a Sarah Murczek spike, as the Ramblers raced out to a 5-2 lead. The margin ballooned to 16-5 as part of a 10-1 surge that saw Bree Borum and Anna Feldkamp team up for blocks on a pair of separate occasions. Davidson got no closer than nine the rest of the way, as Loyola coasted to a 25-13 win in the opener.
 
Borum started hot from the service line in the afternoon's second set, rattling off three straight service aces to quickly stake the Maroon & Gold to a 3-0 lead. Loyola continued to apply pressure, as a 6-0 run capped by another block by Borum and Feldkamp forced a Davidson timeout with the Ramblers leading 13-5.
 
Davidson regrouped and grabbed its first lead of the night on a pair of kills to start the third set. After Loyola tied things up at 2-2 on a Borum ace, the visitors regained the lead and stayed out in front the rest of the way to a 25-21 victory. The Ramblers fought back from a 21-14 deficit to pull within two when back-to-back Feldkamp kills sparked a 7-2 run. A block from Watson and Emily Banitt made it 23-21, but the Wildcats would hang on for the final two points.
 
With things heating up after the Wildcats grabbed momentum, the fourth and final frame was the most competitive set of the night. Davidson opened up a 3-0 lead on back-to-back aces, and led 4-1 until a quick 5-0 spurt put the Ramblers in the lead following a Sarah Murczek kill. The tide turned again with the Wildcats building a five-point advantage and remaining in the lead when a service error made it 18-14.
 
But the Ramblers weren't done, as a kill by Addie Barnes ignited a furious comeback that saw the Maroon & Gold close the match with an impressive 11-3 run. Six straight points put the home team ahead 20-18, after a kill and two straight aces from Barnes powered the Loyola charge. A kill from McNabb created separation at 23-21, and Watson put down the final point following a Davidson error.

Looking At The Numbers

• Loyola wrapped up the regular season undefeated in Gentile Arena (12-0) for the first time in program history, while going unbeaten at home for the first time since 1993 (14-0) at Alumni Gym.
• Loyola recorded a season-best 15 service aces (Borum 6, Barnes 4, Murczek 3, Corey 1, McNabb 1), with eight in the second set
• McNabb registered her fifth double-double of the season, while swinging at a .281 clip
• Borum lit up the stat sheet with 29 assists, team-high 15 digs, six kills and six aces
• Feldkamp finished with nine kills (.316) and eight block assists
• Murczek nearly missed a double-double with nine kills and 11 digs
• Loyola hit .239 as a team, with a .300 mark in the first set and .310 in the fourth
• Davidson was limited to .085 team hitting percentage. It's the seventh time Loyola has kept an opponent under .100
• Davidson's Emma Slusser produced 11 kills to lead the Wildcats

Up Next
By virtue of winning the league's regular season title, Loyola will be the top seed for next week's Atlantic 10 Volleyball Championship, which will be hosted by Saint Louis University. The Ramblers will take on the winner of the No. 4 and No. 5 seed quarterfinal matchup on Saturday, November 19 at 1 p.m. inside Chaifetz Pavilion.