CHICAGO (September 28, 2022) - Fresh off winning its first two Atlantic 10 Conference matches of the season at George Washington last weekend, Loyola plays its first A-10 home matches ever when it welcomes Jesuit rival Fordham to Gentile Arena. Dating back to the 2019 season, the Ramblers have won 15 of their last 18 conference matches (all as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference) at Gentile Arena (the team did not play at Gentile Arena in 2020-21 due to COVID-19). Loyola has prevailed in five of its last six league home openers, including each of the last four. 

Under fifth-year head coach Amanda Berkley, Loyola has gotten off to some torrid starts to conference play. In addition to winning their last five league openers - a perfect 5-0 under Berkley - the Ramblers have spun off six straight wins to commence league play twice in the last three seasons, doing so in both 2021 and 2019. During the 2020-21 campaign, Loyola won its first four Missouri Valley Conference contests, and in 2018, Berkley's first season in Rogers Park, went 3-0 to open conference competition.

Overall, Loyola has prevailed in 14 of its last 16 matches at Gentile Arena.

Sophomore setter Bree Borum, a transfer from Florida Gulf Coast, has fit in seamlessly in her first year with the Loyola program and over the last three outings, is hitting .429 (18-3-35) with 1.29 kills, 3.07 digs, 10.21 assists and 0.50 service aces per set. She has notched a team-high four double-doubles this season and in last Saturday's win at George Washington, she totaled career bests of 19 digs and 59 assists. Her sister, Josi, is a senior on the Youngstown State volleyball team. Her twin sister, Brooklyn was a 2021 ACC All-Freshman Team selection at Virginia and her oldest sister, Jailyn, played at Illinois Springfield.

Last weekend at George Washington, sophomore Olivia Lovett had a breakthrough performance, averaging 3.33 kills, 2.22 digs and 0.44 service aces, while posting a .242 hitting percentage (30-14-66). In last Saturday's win, she tallied career highs of 19 kills and 20 digs. The outside hitter has put up double-digit digs in three of the last four matches.

Since the start of the 2020-21 campaign, Loyola is 31-3 (.912) 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 and this season are 5-1 in such contests.

Senior outside hitter Sarah Murczek picked up the 17th double-double of her career and second this season when she had 13 kills and 11 digs against George Washington on September 24. In three matches at home this season, Murczek is posting 2.64 kills and 2.18 digs per set and she drilled 10 or more kills in six of her last 10 appearances overall.

Scouting Fordham

Since opening the 2022 campaign with a 5-1 ledger, Fordham has stumbled in six of its last seven matches, including dropping a pair of contests to preseason Atlantic 10 Conference favorite, Dayton, last weekend in the Bronx. The Rams. who reached the title match of the A-10 Championship a year ago, have split four true road matches this season and have dropped seven of their last eight league matches that have been played away from home. 

Junior outside hitter Whitley Moody is the centerpiece of the Fordham attack and she is contributing team bests of 3.60 kills and 0.38 aces per set, while also pitching in 2.50 digs per set. Audrey Brown, a freshman outside hitter, complements Moody, averaging 2.86 kills per set, while hitting .278 (143-53-324). 

Up Next

Loyola travels to Saint Louis on Tuesday, Oct. 4 for a rare midweek A-10 showdown.