CHICAGO (September 14, 2022) - Loyola wraps up a grueling non-conference slate this weekend when it competes in the annual Chicago Cup at the Flames Athletic Center on the UIC campus. The Ramblers enter the tournament having won three straight matches, two of which were against teams from power five conferences. Loyola's three-match win streak is its longest since rattling off six consecutive victories, October 16 through November 1, 2021.
In its last five wins, Loyola has hit .301 (260-82-592) as a team and conversely, in its four defeats this season, has managed to hit just .179 (205-9-590). Loyola's .478 hitting percentage (48-4-92) versus St. Thomas on September 9 was the best in a single match in the Amanda Berkley era and marked just the third time under her leadership that the Ramblers hit .400 or better.
Loyola has fared well in its last two contests on neutral floors, defeating Morehead State and Toledo, while hitting at an impressive .341 rate (103-29-217).
Kelsey Watson, who leads Loyola with 1.25 blocks per set and a .343 hitting percentage (16-4-35) this season, is hitting .347 (37-11-75) in her last seven matches versus non-conference opponents. Watson has missed the last seven matches due to injury.
Loyola has fared well in its last two contests on neutral floors, defeating Morehead State and Toledo, while hitting at an impressive .341 rate (103-29-217).
For the first time in nearly two decades, Loyola has rattled off four consecutive winning seasons. The last time the Ramblers strung together four or more seasons with a record over .500 was 1997 through 2004 when they did so in eight straight campaigns.
Since the start of the 2020-21 campaign, Loyola is 29-3 (.906) when winning the first set of a match. Last season, the Ramblers posted an 18-1 (.947) ledger in matches when they captured set one.
Over the last five matches, junior Anna Feldkamp is contributing 2.15 kills and 1.05 blocks per set and is hitting .344 (43-11-93). In Loyola's four-set win against Rutgers on September 10, the middle blocker/right side walloped a career-best 19 kills, tied for the most by a Rambler this season.
Scouting UIC
After winning five of its first six matches, UIC has dropped its last two outings and will be playing its 2022 home opener when it faces Loyola on Friday night. Junior Martina Delucchi is contributing 4.11 kills and 2.77 digs per set.
Scouting DePaul
The Blue Demons have rebounded from a tough start to the season by claiming their last three matches, including a four-set victory over Saint Louis in their most recent contest. Outside hitter Jill Pressly is the focal point of the DePaul attack and the junior leads the team with 3.68 kills per set and is also providing 3.32 digs per set. Loyola has won 20 of the last 27 meetings with the Blue Demons although the teams have split the last 10 matchups.
Scouting Northwestern
At 8-1 overall, Northwestern, which is coached by former Loyola men's volleyball head coach and student-athlete, Shane Davis, is off to its best start since going 10-1 to begin the 2017 campaign. During his tenure as the Loyola men's volleyball coach, Davis led the Ramblers to back-to-back NCAA championships in 2014 and 2015. The Wildcats rank ninth in the nation with a .301 hitting percentage and are led by senior outside hitter Temi Thomas-Allara, who is putting up 3.45 kills per set, while hitting at a solid .277 clip (107-38-249).
Up Next
Loyola opens Atlantic 10 Conference action when it visits George Washington for matches on September 23 and 24.
