LEADING OFF
The Ramblers continue non-conference play this weekend in Michigan. Loyola Chicago will play a three-match tournament at Michigan State. Action begins Friday afternoon and concludes Sunday morning. The Ramblers look to pick up their second straight win with Marist in the opening match in East Lansing.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 6 • vs. Marist • 3:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, Sept. 7 • vs. Western Kentucky • 11:30 a.m. CT
Sunday, Sept. 8 • at Michigan State • 12 p.m. CT

QUICK HITS
• The Ramblers opened the season at the Western Michigan Invitational, finishing 1-2. They dropped the first two matches to Clemson and Western Michigan before sweeping LMU to cap the tournament.
• Loyola Chicago earned it's first set win of the year against WMU in a 3-1 loss. The Ramblers followed with a 3-0 win over LMU to end the weekend.
• Jae Fitting's debut weekend on the court secured her Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week honors. She led the A-10 with 5.1 digs/set. Fitting recorded a season-high 27 against the Broncos and tallied another 15 vs. LMU.
• Ann Marie Remmes started all three-matches for the Ramblers. She posted a .306 hitting percentage with 22 total kills. Remmes tallied a career-high nine kills in the win over LMU.
• Bree Borum picked up right where she left off last season. She currently sits second in the conference with 8.9 assists per set. Over the three-match stretch, Borum tallied 89 assists, highlighted by a season-high 39 at Western Michigan.
• Borum's first double-double of the season fell against the Broncos. She added 13 digs to her 39 assists, and fell just one kill shy of a triple-double with nine.
• Avary DeBlieck contested the net well for the Ramblers at the invite. She had four block assists against both Western Michigan and LMU. She finished with a career-high six total blocks vs. the Broncos.
• Freshman hitter Kate Maley made an impact in her first three matches. She neared a double-double at WMU with nine kills and 10 digs. Maley then tallied double-digit kills for the first time ever with 10 against LMU.
• Head coach Amanda Berkley enters her seventh season at the helm. Her overall record with the Ramblers is 115-67.

SCOUTING MARIST
Marist opened the year going 0-3 after being swept by Old Dominion, Virginia, and UTSA. The Red Foxes were tabbed sixth in the MAAC's Preseason Poll ahead of 2024 play beginning. Marist will play all non-conference games on the road this season and not see its home court until Oct. 5.  The Red Foxes were 7-14 away from home last year.

Sara Dasic led Marist with 15 kills over opening weekend. She added three assists, 13 digs, and a block. Jamison White started all three matches at setter. She tallied 54 assists, six kills, and 15 digs.

SERIES HISTORY
This marks the second meeting between Loyola and Marist. The Ramblers won 3-0 back in 2013.

SCOUTING WESTERN KENTUCKY
Western Kentucky is 2-1 after opening weekend. WKU picked up wins over Morehead State and Northern Kentucky before falling to No. 9 Kentucky. The Hilltoppers were tabbed CUSA's preseason favorite after posting an undefeated 16-0 record, conference title, and NCAA Tournament second round appearance last season.

Kaylee Cox was named CUSA Preseason Player of the Year. Over 11 sets played last weekend, Cox finished with 32 kills to lead the Hilltoppers. She recorded back-to-back double-doubles against Morehead State (11 kills, 15 digs) and Northern Kentucky (11 kills, 12 digs).

SERIES HISTORY
The all-time series is tied 2-2, but the Hilltoppers have won the last two meetings in 2021 and 2019.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
Michigan State sits at 1-2 after the first weekend of 2024 action. The Spartans dropped a match to Northern Colorado before picking up a 3-1 win against (RV) Colorado State. They also fell to No. 11 Florida. Ahead of the year tipping off, MSU was selected 12th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll.

Taylah Holdem was selected to last year's All-Big Ten Second Team. She is the lone returning All-B1G selection for the Spartans. Over 11 sets played, Holdem tallied 25 kills last weekend. She had a season-best 12 kills vs. Northern Colorado.

SERIES HISTORY
The Spartans lead the all-time series, 2-1. Loyola's lone win came in 1993 with a sweep. It will be the first meeting since 1999.