CHICAGO (September 17, 2022) 
 
In Short 
Once again playing shorthanded, the Loyola University Chicago (6-7) women's volleyball team put forth a valiant effort but came up on the short end of a 15-25, 25-23, 12-25, 25-16, 16-18 decision to Northwestern (11-1) tonight at the Chicago Cup on the campus of UIC. The Ramblers have dropped their last three contests after winning their previous three matches.
 
How It Happened
Northwestern put together a 9-3 run early in the first set to break a stalemate and open up a 15-9 lead and never be threatened from that point forward in a 25-15 victory. The Ramblers couldn't get anything going offensively and hit -.061 (6-8-33) for the set.
 
Loyola found itself in a precarious position, down 11-5, before it showed its resolve and despite being without three regular starters, clawed its way back into the game with a 9-2 run that featured back-to-back aces from Bree Borum and was capped by a kill from Olivia Lovett that put the Ramblers ahead, 14-13. Trailing 22-21, Loyola got kills from Emily Banitt and Anna Feldkamp to reclaim the lead then held on for a 25-23 victory. After suffering through a rough first set, the Ramblers wound up hitting .324 (15-4-34) in set two.
 
A Bree Borum in set three cut the Northwestern lead in half, to 12-11, but the Wildcats finished off the set by tallying 13 of the final 14 points for a 25-12 victory. The Wildcats hit a sizzling .407 (13-2-27) to coast to the win.
 
Loyola rode a fast start to a convincing 25-16 victory in set four, hitting .300 (16-7-30). Feldkamp and Borum keyed the quick beginning, notching a pair of kills each in a 7-3, set-opening run. Later, consecutive aces by Borum nudged the Ramblers' advantage to 13-7 and after NU closed within 16-14, Loyola put the game away with six unanswered points that stretched the lead to 22-14.
 
The fifth set was a back-and-forth battle in which neither team held a lead of more than two points. Loyola trailed 15-14 when Feldkamp and Murczek deposited consecutive kills to push the Ramblers back on top, but Northwestern recorded the final three points to escape with an 18-16 victory.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Feldkamp recorded a team-high 14 kills to lead Loyola. The junior finished the match with a .385 hitting percentage (14-4-26).
• Murczek totaled 12 kills and 10 digs, while Banitt racked up 11 kills and five blocks.
• Temi Thomas-Ailara led Northwestern with a match-high 24 kills.

 
Up Next
The Ramblers begin Atlantic 10 Conference play next weekend when they visit George Washington for contests on September 23 and 24.