CHICAGO (March 16, 2023)
 
In Short…
No. 9 Loyola (17-2) pushed its win streak to double digits, earning its 10th consecutive victory by defeating No. 14 Charleston (17-2) in four sets (25-14, 16-25, 25-21, 25-16) Thursday in non-conference action. Parker Van Buren led with 18 kills (.455) and nine digs, while Colton Brooks and Cole Schlothauer finished with 13 and 12, respectively.
 
With the win, Loyola improved to 3-1 against nationally ranked opponents and improved to 11-0 in home matches.
 
Loyola currently holds the nation's second longest active win streak (10) and the sixth-longest home win streak (11) in the country. It's the most consecutive home wins in five years for the Ramblers, as well as the program's best start through 19 games since the 2015 national championship season (18-1).
 
How it Happened
Loyola started strong, hitting .552 in the opening set while racing out to a 14-9 lead after an ace by Dan Mangun.
 
The Ramblers rattled off the next five points to extend the lead to double digits and cruised for the early match lead. The run was sparked by back-to-back aces from Brooks and a kill by Meyer put Loyola ahead, 19-9.
 
Meyer and Van Buren each recorded five kills in the first set, while Brooks finished with four.
 
However, the script flipped in the second set as Charleston tied the match at 1-1. After the set was tied at 4-4, the Ramblers never led in the second frame as the Golden Eagles jumped out to a seven-point lead at 15-8, and led by as much as nine at 22-13. Charleston hit .500 with just two errors in the second set, led by Luuk Hoge Bavel's seven kills.
 
Charleston kept the momentum going into the third set, leading most of the way until a late run by the Ramblers shifted the entire match.
 
With the score tied at 20-20, the Ramblers took their first lead on back-to-back kills from Brooks and Schlothauer. Then, Loyola closed the set by capping things off with an impressive 6-1 run, as Van Buren and Brooks combined for nine of the team's 14 kills in the frame.
 
Loyola never trailed again after it claimed a 12-7 lead in the fourth set, remaining out in front while hitting a match-high .571 with just one error. Schlothauer turned it on late, posting half (6) of his kills total in the fourth set alone.
 
Brian Voight came on to serve the final three points and sealed the win with an ace.
 
Meyer finished with eight kills and five blocks, including a pair of momentum-shifting block solos to start the Ramblers' run in the fourth set.
 
Hoge Bavel led Charleston with 15 kills, along with 12 from Lachlan Bray and 11 from Garret Schnitker.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Dan Mangun, the conference and national Player of the Week, dished out 46 assists and logged eight digs
• Loyola produced an overall team hitting percentage of .408 – its second-highest mark of the season
• Colton Brooks tied his career high with three service aces
• Matt Oakley collected eight digs and handed out five assists 

Up Next
Loyola travels to Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday, before returning to Gentile Arena next Thursday against Lewis.