CHICAGO (September 10, 2022) 
 
In Short 
Led by a career-high 19 kills from junior right side/middle blocker Anna Feldkamp, Loyola University Chicago (6-4) won the title of the Hampton Inn Chicago – North Loyola Station Rambler Challenge with a 22-25, 28-26, 25-22, 25-17 victory over Rutgers (5-4) this afternoon at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers have now won three straight matches and their last two victories have come against teams from power conferences.
 
How It Happened
Both teams went back and forth with neither club leading by more than three points in the first set. A Scarlet Knight error, followed by an Addie Barnes service ace and Sarah Murczek kill, put the Ramblers back on top, 15-12, and Loyola held its final lead of the set (17-16) after a kill from Emily Banitt. Rutgers finished out the set on a 9-5 run to secure a 25-22 victory as its efficient attack hit .438 (16-2-32).
 
Thanks in large part to five aces, the Ramblers were able to slip past the Scarlet Knight for a 28-26 victory in the second set to steal momentum and tie the match at a set apiece. Loyola possessed a 23-20 lead but saw Rutgers battle its way back to tie the score at 23-23 and a few points later, consecutive kills from Feldkamp, who had five kills in the second set alone, and Barnes, lifted the hosts to the win.
 
After digging a four-point deficit (10-6), back-to-back aces from Barnes and kills from freshman Ella Ramsay and Banitt were part of a 6-0 spurt that gave Loyola a 12-10 advantage. The Ramblers' lead stood at 18-17 when Feldkamp pounded a kill to spark a 6-2 run that included a pair of Banitt stops, which stretched the advantage to 24-19, the largest of the set. Rutgers was able to inch its way back within two points (24-22) until Banitt squelched any chance of a late-set comeback with her fifth kill of the set to cap a 25-22 Loyola victory.
 
Set four belonged to Feldkamp, who dominated with seven kills, while hitting .700 (7-0-10), as Loyola earned a 25-17 win. She swatted three kills in a 6-2 burst that broke an early stalemate and gave the Ramblers the lead for good at 8-3. Once Rutgers crept within 16-13, Loyola, which wound up hitting .419 (16-3-31) for the set, administered the knockout blow, producing nine of the final 13 points for a 25-17 victory. 
 
Inside the Numbers

• Feldkamp compiled a .467 (19-5-30) attack percentage and she also pitched in four blocks in addition to her career-high 19 kills. Her previous career best was a 15-kill performance against Evansville during her rookie campaign on February 14, 2021.
• Banitt put forth another double-digit-kill outing, delivering 13 stops and setter Bree Borum had an impressive all-around afternoon, going for career highs of 41 assists, six kills and four aces.
• Grace Hinchman amassed a match-high 26 digs and she earned a spot on the Hampton Inn Chicago – North Loyola Station Rambler Challenge All-Tournament Team with Borum and Banitt, who was selected as the tournament's most valuable player. 
• Ellie Dammann (St. Thomas), Lauren DeLo (Rutgers), Sydney Bolding (Kansas State) and Mackenzie Morris (Kansas State) also earned all-tournament team honors.
• Alissa Kinkela had 13 kills and Taylor Humphrey added 12 for Rutgers.
• Under fifth-year head coach Amanda Berkley, Loyola has won the Rambler Challenge three times and is 11-1 in its annual tournament.

 
Up Next
Loyola plays in its final non-conference matches of the season next weekend when it competes against DePaul, Northwestern and UIC at the annual Chicago Cup. This year's tournament will be held at the Flames Athletic Center on the UIC campus, September 16 and 17.