MUNCIE, Ind. (Feb. 19. 2022) – The Loyola University Chicago men's volleyball team made the trip to the No. 7 Ball State University Cardinals following a big win against the No. 14 Buckeyes on Thursday night. At the end of this game, it was Loyola who came out on top, defeating the Cardinals 3-1 (25-19, 25-23, 25-21, 25-20). This win puts the Ramblers at the top of the MIVA as the only team with an undefeated conference record.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The match started strong for the Ramblers after their big win Thursday night. They grabbed an early two-point lead over the Cardinals, but it didn't last for long. This top-notch Ball State team fought back immediately, taking the lead and pushing ahead to take the first set over Loyola 25-19. 
 
The second set is where the game turned around for the Ramblers. The pin hitters woke up on the attack, giving Loyola the much-needed momentum to accelerate past the Cardinals. Even though these two teams kept it tight, it was Loyola who secured the set 25-23. 
 
When they came back on the court from the break, the Ramblers kept their feet on the gas. Redshirt junior Cole Schlothauer and redshirt freshman Parker Van Buren were swinging away. They propelled the Ramblers ahead of the Cardinals, giving them the 25-21 victory in the third. 
 
The Ramblers only needed one more set to secure the win over the nationally-ranked Cardinals. They went onto the court and got the job done. The Maroon and Gold came out hot in this final set, grabbing the lead and running with it. By the end of the match, it was too late for the Ball State to come back as the Ramblers won 25-20.
 
LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

• Van Buren led again on offense, contributing a match-high 22 kills against the Cardinals. He also helped out on the front row defense as he registered two blocks. 
• Schlothauer is back for Loyola, and it's like he never left. The outside hitter returned to the lineup seamlessly as he tallied 17 kills in his first full match back. He also excelled in the back row, adding seven digs
• Senior Henry Payne also had a good match, passing a perfect 100 percent on serve receive on 35 attempts while adding in nine kills. He even added on three blocks and six digs.
• Senior Garrett Zolg returns as the Commander and Chief for this Rambler offense. He finished the match with 44 assists while also securing three kills. He also added 10 digs to earn his first double-double of the season, which is the team's first double-double since Schlothauer recorded one against Hawaii in the first series of the year. 
• The back row defense shined for the Maroon and Gold today. Libero Matt Oakley had the most digs this season as he secured 10. 
• In the front row, Jimmy Meinhart was a key contributor for the defense as he registered a team-high four blocks. 

UP NEXT
The Ramblers will have one more game on the road before they return to Gentile Arena as they head to Lebanon, Illinois, to take on the Bearcats of McKendree University on Thursday, Feb. 24. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. There will be a live stream and live stats available for this match.