CHICAGO – Loyola Chicago returned to its home court to take on VCU Friday night. The Rams came away with a 3-0 win to win their fourth straight. Bree Borum tallied her 11th double-double with 23 assists and 10 digs as a standout performance for the Ramblers. 
 
Loyola falls to 9-10 overall and 4-4 in A-10 play. 
 
"I think that was a tough one for us," said head coach Amanda Berkley. "I am disappointed in the first two sets because we built up a nice lead and then we just hit some crucial points out of bounds. We didn't compete the way we needed to, especially at the end of sets." 
 
Borum also finished with seven kills, two aces, and two blocks. 
 
Marta Cvitkovic led the attack with a team-best nine kills, while Esma Ajanovic added eight while hitting .400.  
 
How It Happened 
Set One: Both teams came to play Friday night, battling point for point to open action. Loyola tied it twice early before Ann Marie Remmes and Borum teamed up for a block to take Loyola's first lead, 3-2. Cvitkovic led a 3-0 run with a pair of kills and block to give the Ramblers some space, 8-5, but VCU rallied with a 4-0 swing to take a one-point edge, forcing a timeout. Seven more ties came between the Ramblers and Ramblers. Ella Ramsay knotted it 19-19 with a kill, sparking three unanswered for Loyola. The Ramblers jumped ahead by two with an ace delivered by Borum. VCU came out of their timeout with a 5-0 answer to force set point. Loyola's service error would cost the Ramblers the set, 25-22. 
 
Set Two: The Rams scored three straight to open set two that was only halted by their own service error. They'd go up 4-1 before Loyola began to chip away. Ajanovic cut the lead down to two with kills, while Abby Edwards had a set error to make it 5-4 VCU. Loyola built a gap after going back and forth. A 4-0 run sparked by a Cvitkovic kill gave the Ramblers a 12-9 edge. Cvitkovic had a solo block and another kill in the run to put Loyola on her back. The Ramblers held control despite the Rams cutting the lead to one on five occasions as the set progressed. VCU used a 6-0 run led by Julia Rienks with two straight kills to close the set and win, 25-22.  
 
Set Three: Much like the first two sets, the Rams and Ramblers traded points in an early battle. The set saw six lead changes and 11 ties. VCU gained some separation midway through as a block assist from Kalina Pylinska and Jasmine Knight sparked a 3-0 run to go up 15-12 over Loyola. Remmes got the Ramblers back within one with a kill, but the Rams kept rolling with three more points on the board forcing a Loyola timeout. Borum came out of the break with a kill, but it wasn't enough to rally the Ramblers. VCU tallied four straight to get to match point before Rienks secured the win with one final blow, 25-19. 
 
Up Next 
The Ramblers and Rams continue the series Saturday at 1 p.m. in Gentile Arena.