COLUMBUS, Ohio -- No. 7 Loyola Chicago took the first set at No. 18 Ohio State, but couldn't hold on, stumbling in a 3-1 loss on Thursday, March 19 at Covelli Center. The Ramblers are now 13-6 overall and 7-3 in Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) play.
Redshirt sophomore Tyler Howard paced Loyola's offense, finishing with 13 kills on .304 hitting, and anchored the defense with a career-high seven digs. Grad student Josh Schellinger also contributed with 10 kills on .381 hitting and three block assists.
Coach Quote: Shane Davis
"We knew it was going to be a battle coming in here tonight. We need to be sharper all around, on the attack and at the net, especially in moments where we're down a few points so that we don't lose sight of them. Playing on the road is hard and Saturday's match at Northern Kentucky will be another test."
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Ramblers won the first point and never trailed to secure the first set 25-23, leading by as many as five points before closing out the set.
SET 2 | Loyola dropped the second set 25-19 to level the match 1-1. Ohio State grabbed the advantage at 10-9 in a set that was knotted up nine times before the Buckeyes took over the lead.
SET 3 | A set-three loss put the Ramblers down 2-1, coming up short 25-20. Despite outblocking Ohio State, Loyola's attack was unable to find its footing.
SET 4 | Loyola fell 25-16 in the final frame. The Buckeyes hit .526 in the set while holding the Ramblers to a .000 clip.
Inside the Box Score
- Howard had the team-high 13 kills, seven digs and one ace.
- Loyola attackers were helped by a team-high 34 assists from Ryan McElligott.
- Freshman Oskar Berg Mikkelsen led the Ramblers at the net with four blocks.
Up Next
The Ramblers stay on the road to face the Northern Kentcuky Norses in Highland Heights, Ky. on Saturday, March 21 at 3 p.m.
