KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (August 26, 2022) 
 
In Short 
Junior libero Grace Hinchman recorded her 1,000^th career dig, but Loyola University Chicago's (1-1) upset bid fell just short as the Ramblers suffered a gut-wrenching, 25-22, 23-25, 26-28, 25-16, 7-15 loss to Tennessee (1-0) tonight at the Tennessee Classic. The Ramblers nearly picked up their first win versus a power conference foe since September 20, 2019.
 
How It Happened
The Ramblers picked up a thrilling 25-22 victory in a back-and-forth first set as Taylor Venuto compiled four kills and three blocks to get the visitors off to a strong start in the match. After Venuto and Anna Feldkamp teamed up for a block that tied the score at 19-19, Tennessee spun off two quick points to seize a 21-19 advantage. But, that's when Venuto switched things into another gear, tallying two kills, while assisting on another block, as Loyola closed out the set with a 6-1 run for a 25-22 decision.
 
Tennessee used a 6-3 burst to snap a tie and open a 22-19 advantage in the second set, but Loyola wouldn't go down without a fight. Back-to-back kills from Venuto and Emily Banitt sliced the Ramblers' deficit to 22-21, but Loyola was unable to pull even as the Lady Volunteers had an answer each time the visitors crept within a point. Erykah Lovett's kill squelched any hopes of a Loyola comeback and finished off UT's 25-23 victory.
 
A 7-1 run early in the third set featured kills from three different players, along with an ace from Hinchman, that gave Loyola an 11-5 lead. Moments later, that advantage would grow to seven points (14-7) before Tennessee began to chip away at the deficit, eventually closing within 21-19. Consecutive kills from Venuto gave the Ramblers a bit of breathing room, but the Lady Vols surged ahead, 25-24, thanks to a 6-1 burst. Barnes stopped the bleeding with a kill and a UT attack error allowed Loyola to reclaim the lead (26-25), but Tennessee would notch the final three scores of the set to escape with a 28-26 victory. 
 
Loyola showed its resilience by bouncing back from that tough loss for a convincing 25-16 victory in the fourth set to force a deciding fifth set. The Ramblers tallied six of the first seven points of the set to open up a 6-1 lead and never looked back, hitting a sizzling .417 (13-3-24) in earning the victory. Loyola led by as many as 10 points and received three kills apiece from Venuto and Barnes as it rolled to a win.
 
The Lady Vols broke open the fifth set behind a 9-2 run that turned a 4-4 tie into a 13-6 lead on the way to a 15-7 decision. Loyola struggled in the final set, hitting just -.182 (3-7-22).
 
 
Inside the Numbers

• Barnes had another solid performance, going for a team-high 15 kills, while adding eight digs and five blocks.
• She was joined in double-digit kills by McNabb, who totaled 12 kills and 13 digs, and Venuto, who hit .545 (12-0-22), with 12 kills and five blocks.
• Hinchman finished with 19 digs, giving her 1,004 for her career. 
• Morgahn Fingall cracked a match-high 24 kills and produced 11 digs and six blocks to lead Tennessee.

 
Up Next
Loyola wraps up action at the Tennessee Classic tomorrow at noon CT when it battles 13^th-ranked Purdue. The Ramblers will be seeking their first win versus a nationally ranked team since 2004.