CHICAGO (January 26, 2023) – After sweeping its first road trip, nationally-ranked Loyola (5-0) returns to Gentile Arena this weekend for a pair of non-conference matches. Friday's first serve against Maryville (1-3) is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT, before Saturday's 6 p.m. CT contest against St. Francis Brooklyn (3-2). Both matches will air live on ESPN+.
Loyola enters the third week of action ranked 11th in the NVA/AVCA national coaches' poll, and 10th in Off The Block's national media poll.
The Ramblers are looking to start 7-0 for the second time in three years, after beginning the 2021 campaign with eight consecutive victories. Two wins this weekend would equal the fifth-best start to a season in program history.
Loyola leads the nation in aces per set (2.56) and ranks second in blocks per set (2.75). The Ramblers are currently ranked 10th in the country in team hitting percentage (.346).
Individually,
Nicodemus Meyer is ranked second in the nation in blocks per set (1.77) while
Parker Van Buren ranks third in the nation in aces per set (0.93). Van Buren joins
Cole Schlothauer as the team's leading attackers, both averaging over three kills per set.
LAST TIME OUT
Loyola swept NJIT last Friday, before rallying past LIU Saturday in a gritty four-set contest in the first-ever meeting with the Sharks. Van Buren recorded a season-high 16 kills and
Colton Brooks logged a career-best 13 in the most recent outing, as setter
Dan Mangun recorded his first double-double with a season-high 37 assists, 10 digs, five kills and three block assists in that contest. Schlothauer led the Ramblers at NJIT with 11 kills – marking two consecutive appearances with double-digit kills.
SERIES STUFF
Loyola will meet both opponents this weekend for the first time.
SCOUTING MARYVILLE
Maryville enters Friday's match at 1-3 overall after suffering a third straight defeat Wednesday at Quincy in straight sets. Sophomore Victor Ganav led with 10 kills in the setback and leads the team with 2.15 kills per set this season. The Saints, who are a second-year Division II program out of St. Louis, opened the season with a four-set win over Kentucky State. Second-year head coach Mike Haston led Maryville to a 19-11 inaugural campaign last year.
SCOUTING SFU BROOKLYN
St. Francis Brooklyn, a fourth-year program out of the EIVA, dropped a pair of matches last week including a 3-1 defeat at NJIT last Saturday, which followed Loyola's sweep over the Highlanders the previous night. The Terriers opened the season with three straight wins at the JBJ Battle for the Boardwalk, hosted in Atlantic City, N.J. Freshman opposite Matteo Falleri leads the squad with 2.70 kills per set, followed closely by senior outside hitter Bartek Zielinski at 2.46.
UP NEXT
Loyola opens a four-match road swing, starting with a trip to the West Coast for back-to-back matches at Concordia University Irvine (Feb. 2) and Long Beach State (Feb. 3).
