ST. LOUIS, Mo. (November 19, 2022)
 
In Short…
Reigning A-10 Player of the Year Karlie McNabb ripped a career-high 20 kills, pacing a group of four Ramblers in double figures, as top-seeded Loyola University Chicago (24-8, 17-1 A-10) withstood a furious rally from fourth-seeded George Washington (18-15, 11-7 A-10) to pick up a 25-20, 25-21, 23-25, 24-26, 15-12 win over the Colonials this afternoon in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship inside Chaifetz Pavilion in St. Louis, Mo.
 
How It Happened
Loyola started the afternoon fast, with a kill by Bree Borum that was followed by a solo block from Taylor Venuto giving the Ramblers an 8-5 lead.  Back-to-back kills from Addie Barnes and Emily Banitt stretched the gap to 14-10 and forced George Washington to burn a timeout.  Following a Colonials' attack error that stretched the gap to 19-12, George Washington looked to rally, ripping off five straight points to trim Loyola's lead to 19-17.  Loyola settled, picking up five of the set's next six points to reestablish breathing room, before Venuto's third kill of the opening frame sealed a 25-20 victory.
 
George Washington came out on the front foot to open set two, jumping out to a 4-2 edge before Loyola countered with a 4-0 run, highlighted by a Madi Corey service ace, that sent the Ramblers in front, 6-4.  Playing only minutes from her hometown of Ballwin, Mo., Kelsey Watson hammed home to push the gap to 11-8.  Like in the first set, George Washington mounted a comeback, pulling within one, 17-16.  After a Colonials' service error that made it 18-16, McNabb stemmed the tide with a kill that stretched the lead to 19-16, as Loyola went on to close out a 25-21 win on a Barnes rocket down the line.
 
Sitting just a set away from a spot in Sunday's final, Loyola wasted no time looking to take control in the third set.  McNabb connected to stake the Ramblers to a 7-5 lead before joining forces with Venuto on a block to stretch the margin to 9-5, prompting a Colonials' timeout.  The lead reached 13-9 on a Banitt missile in the middle that was followed by consecutive McNabb service aces that saw the advantage balloon to 15-9.  With its back to the wall, George Washington refused to go away quietly, rattling off six unanswered points to cut the Loyola lead to 20-19.  After pulling even at 21-21, the Colonials took their first lead of the frame, 23-22, on a block, ultimately completely the comeback, 25-23, to force a fourth set.
 
After a nip-and-tuck start to the fourth set, Loyola built a 10-7 lead after a block by Venuto and Borum.  Two Rambler mishits brought George Washington even at 15-15 as both teams struggled to gain separation as the set progressed.  With the score deadlocked at 21-21, consecutive kills from Borum and McNabb established a 23-21 Loyola lead, but the Colonials' refused to go away, tying the frame again at 23-23.  After seeing the Ramblers fight off set point on a McNabb kill that made it 24-24, George Washington put up the set's final two points to wrap up a 26-24 triumph and force a decisive fifth set.
 
Loyola again started fast to begin the fifth set, jumping out to a 5-2 edge following a Barnes kill.  Following a push from George Washington that saw the upset-minded Colonials pull within one, 7-6, an emphatic block from Borum sparked a 3-0 push that stretched the lead to 10-6.  A Barnes service ace reestablished a four-point advantage, 13-9.  George Washington fended off a pair of match points, but Banitt ended any suspense when she fired home to win the set 15-12 and book the Maroon & Gold's spot in Sunday's title game.
 
Looking At The Numbers
- McNabb was spectacular, finishing with 20 kills, nine digs, three service aces, and a block.
- Barnes came up just a kill shy of matching her season high, putting up 16 spikes and 12 digs en route to her fourth double-double of the year.
- Banitt added 14 kills of her own, while Venuto chipped in 10 kills in addition to a team-high four blocks.
- Borum racked up 55 assists to go along with 17 digs, four kills, and three blocks.
- Grace Hinchman was as reliable as ever on the defensive side, matching Borum with 17 digs.
- Salem Yohannes led George Washington with 18 kills.
 
Up Next
Loyola advances on to title game of the Atlantic 10 Championship, where it will take on third-seeded Dayton at 12 p.m. on Sunday afternoon in St. Louis, Mo.