Loyola Sweeps Past MSOE, 3-0

CHICAGO (Jan. 26, 2009) - The Loyola University Chicago men's volleyball team downed MSOE, 3-0 (30-22, 30-23, 30-19), on Tuesday night (Jan. 26) in Alumni Gym. The Ramblers used a balanced attack, as 15 different players saw action in the match. LU improves to 4-0 with the win, while the visiting Raiders drop to 1-3.

"It was good to get some of our younger guys in to give them some good match experience," said Loyola head coach Shane Davis. "I thought they played really well. We showed good depth, and the guys showed good focus to win in three sets."

The Raiders came out swinging to open the match, rattling off five-straight points to begin the first set. With the score at 7-2 in favor of the visitors, the Ramblers used two kills from Kris Berzins to even the score at seven. Loyola gained its first lead at 12-11 after an MSOE error broke an 11-all tie. Kills from Dan Leis and Matt Adler then helped LU take a four-point lead at 18-14. MSOE would get no closer than three points for the rest of the set, as multiple kills from Brendan Styler and Mike Bunting helped the Ramblers end the first on top.

The teams traded points to open the second set, with Loyola taking a three-point lead after three MSOE errors in a row at 8-5.  Another error and a kill by Mario Jez helped the Ramblers extend their lead to seven at 15-8. The Raiders would cut the lead to five before Loyola would use an 8-3 run to take a 23-13 lead. Three kills by Glenn Frazee allowed MSOE to come back within five at 24-19, but Styler recorded two more kills to help Loyola close out the set.

The third set began in Loyola's favor, as George Kamberos tallied multiple kills en route to an early 10-5 Rambler lead. The Raiders crept within three after two LU errors at 14-11, but that would be the closest they would come to the Ramblers for the remainder of the match. Highlighted by multiple kills from Kamberos and Jez, Loyola ripped off a 12-2 run to end the match.

Jez posted a career-high 11 kills to lead the Ramblers, while Steve Thompson tied his career best with six blocks to lead the defensive push. Frazee tallied 15 kills to lead the Raiders. 

The Ramblers continue their busy week this Friday (Jan. 29) against No. 15 Saint Francis. The match is set for 7 p.m. in Alumni Gym.