WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 23, 2022) 
 
In Short 
Emily Banitt racked up a match-high 16 kills as Loyola University Chicago (7-7, 1-0 A-10) snapped a three-match losing skid with a 25-23, 21-25, 28-26, 25-17 victory over George Washington (6-8, 0-1 A-10) tonight at the Charles E. Smith Center. The match was the Ramblers' first league tilt as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference and with win, Loyola improved to a perfect 5-0 in conference openers under fifth-year head coach Amanda Berkley.
 
How It Happened
George Washington looked primed to take an early lead in the match when it put together an 8-1 run midway through the first set to open up a 15-11 edge. However, Loyola methodically pecked away at the deficit, finally tying the set at 21-21 on consecutive kills from Banitt. With the teams deadlocked in a 23-23 stalemate, a Colonials error, followed by a Sarah Murczek kill, sent the Ramblers to a heart-pounding, 25-23 decision.
 
Loyola couldn't make an early four-point edge hold up in set two as a late surge propelled George Washington to a 25-21 victory. Aces from Olivia Lovett and Madi Corey highlighted that 5-1 set-opening run for the Ramblers, but they cooled from there as GW spun off 12 of the next 16 points to claim a four-point advantage (13-9). A pair of Bree Borum stops were part of an ensuing 8-2 Rambler run that gave the Maroon & Gold a short-lived 18-16 edge, but the aforementioned late GW rally ultimately felled Loyola.
 
Set three didn't start so well for the Ramblers as they watched George Washington score nine of the first twelve points. Loyola charged right back and took an albeit brief lead, at 12-11, thanks to a 9-2 run of its own. Later in the set, the Colonials ran off three unanswered points to snag a 21-18 advantage, but Banitt smashed a pair of kills in a 6-2 spurt that moved Loyola back on top, 24-23. The teams battled back and forth for a brief period until an Anna Feldkamp kill was followed by an ace from Murczek for a 28-26 Ramblers win.
 
Loyola pretty much removed any doubt about the match by racing out to a 10-2 lead in an eventual 25-17 victory in set four. Borum had a kill and her hand in a pair of blocks, while Banitt provided a kill, an ace and an assisted block in that set-opening surge that put the Ramblers on top for good and they would go on to lead by as many as 11 points before the Colonials shrunk the gap late.
 
Inside the Numbers

• In addition to Banitt's solid evening, Loyola also received 12 kills and four blocks from Feldkamp and 11 kills, nine digs and three aces from Lovett. Banitt also pitched in seven digs, a block and an ace.
• Borum was impressive all-around for the Ramblers, who played the entire match without two regular starters, doling out 43 assists, while also compiling nine digs, six kills and three blocks.
• Dating back to last season, when it was a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, Loyola has prevailed in 15 of its last 19 league contests.
• MC Daubendiek led George Washington with 10 kills.

 
Up Next
The Ramblers and Colonials close out the weekend series tomorrow afternoon in Washington, D.C., with a match beginning at 1 p.m. CT.