CHICAGO – The Ramblers bounced back with a 3-0 sweep over the Davidson Wildcats Saturday afternoon to pick up their first Atlantic 10 win. Loyola Chicago was led by Kate Maley with 11 kills, while Bree Borum posted her sixth double-double of the season with 34 assists and 14 digs.
 
The Ramblers improve to 6-7 overall and 1-1 in league play.
 
"I am proud of the team for bouncing back after last night's match," said head coach Amanda Berkley. "I think overall we played better, but as a coach, we're never satisfied and can always keep improving. We found a way to get more kills against a very scrappy Davidson team."
 
Maley's 11 kills were a career-high. She added five digs and three aces.
 
Overall Loyola had 11 aces, Marta Cvitkovic also tallied three to tie Maley's match-high. Cvitkovic neared a double-double with nine kills and eight digs. She hit .381 on the day.
 
Sam Falk had the starting libero nod in today's match. She had a career and team-best 17 digs. Avary DeBlieck led the Ramblers with four blocks and added nine kills.
 
How It Happened
Set One: Davidson picked up where it left off Friday night, scoring the first four points on kills. The Wildcats kept their lead up at five following an ace from Isabel Decker, 8-3. Maley came alive for Loyola, sparking a 4-0 run to get within one. She had two aces to end the scoring streak. Cvitkovic tallied back-to-back kills, tying the match 10-10, before Esma Ajanovic's kill gave Loyola its first lead of the day, 11-10. Three Ramblers then helped the team to a 6-0 run, gaining their largest lead yet at six. Davidson closed the gap with four unanswered points and would get within one three times, but Borum snuck in an attack to win the set, 25-21.
 
Set Two: The second set was a back-and-forth battle between the Ramblers and Wildcats. Neither team led by more than a point until a 3-0 stretch by Davidson game the Wildcats an 8-6 edge. They pushed their lead to 11-7 before Cvitkovic sparked four straight Rambler points to tie it 11 all. The teams continued going point for point. Decker registered two consecutive kills for Davidson to go up 23-21 down the stretch, but Maley and Ann Marie Remmes responded with two for Loyola, while a Jae Fitting ace made it set point. The Wildcats didn't give up, but late errors cost them in the end, giving Loyola the win, 29-27.
 
Set Three: Loyola found its rhythm in the third set as two aces led to an early 3-1 lead. The Ramblers continued to build with a 3-0 run and 5-1 quick to follow. Maley capped the dominant scoring stretch with a kill, and Loyola kept delivering aces, breaking their lead open to 19-11. DeBlieck kept the lead at eight with a kill, while Borum served back-to-back aces to go up 10. Anna Withee would tally Davidson's last point, while Ajanovic and DeBlieck coverted late attacks to win, 25-13.
 
Up Next
Loyola continues home play with Saint Louis on Tuesday, Oct. 1. First serve is 6 pm in Gentile Arena.