Loyola Protects Home Court with Consecutive Sweeps Against Lindenwood

The No. 6 Loyola men’s volleyball team completed two wins over conference opponent Lindenwood University over the weekend, finishing their second consecutive sweep March 28.  

Second-year outside hitter Daniel Fabikovic led the Ramblers with 13 kills, alongside March’s MIVA player of the week, redshirt fourth-year Parker Van Buren.

Lindenwood first-year middle blocker Amir Grant began the match with a kill, which Fabikovic returned as the Ramblers took an early 3-2 lead following a service fault by third-year setter Ryan McElligott. Fourth-year Nicodemus Meyer registered his first kill, which followed a block assist from Van Buren.

Two kills by Lindenwood second-year middle blocker Owen Walsh kept the Lions on par with a Meyer solo block and offensive efforts by third-year middle blocker Brad Bell as Loyola led 7-5.

Third-year libero JJ Sowa couldn’t return a dig by Lions redshirt fourth-year Jacob Christopher, who recorded a fault on the next service.

Bell and McElligott combined for a block assist, and Bell provided an acrobatic dig to set up a kill by second-year outside hitter Jake Read for a 10-6 cushion.

The Lions brought the score back within one after a service ace from third-year setter Zach Solomon and a Van Buren attack error, but Fabikovic notched a kill with Meyer and Van Buren combining for a block assist right after. 

Loyola kicked off a run to reach 15-11 after a double challenge by Lindenwood on a Van Buren attack error was overturned.

An attack error from Christopher, followed by a powerful shot by Fabikovic, forced the Lions into a timeout, with Loyola — on a 5-0 scoring run — up 17-11 in the first.

Walsh cooled the run with a back-row kill before Van Buren and Bell responded with kills to jump ahead 19-14. Graduate outside hitter Stenmark and Bell traded points to remain even.

The Lions began to level things with back-to-back kills from Christopher and Louthain.

With Lindenwood down just 22-19, the Ramblers called a timeout before finishing off the set.

Despite attempts from Christopher, a block assist from Meyer and Read alongside a kill from Van Buren secured the first set for Loyola 25-20.

Solomon opened the second frame with a service ace, which kickstarted a lengthy string of point-for-point plays in the set and multiple service errors. 

Read switched set momentum with a service ace and Bell followed with a kill to force a Lindenwood timeout with Loyola leading 11-7.

Out of the break, Read made an error while Louthain delivered an ace to bring the Lions within two.

Lindenwood continued to trail by a couple as both teams went point-for-point again, ending with a quick 3-0 Rambler scoring run following a Stenmark error and kills by Meyer and Van Buren for a 16-12 Loyola lead.

Bell was assisted by McElligot as the Ramblers bolstered their lead, and Van Buren forced a quick error, with Fabikovic there for the kill. 

Fabikovic kicked a dig, starting a rally, but Lindenwood was there to ruin it, landing two straight kills and putting Stenmark and the Lions back within two at 21-19.

Van Buren gave Loyola 20, while Stenmark and Walsh returned two kills to put Lindenwood back within one.

Meyer grabbed set point, and the Lions called a timeout to rally. Stenmark answered Meyer’s kill, forcing the Ramblers to call a crucial timeout.

Stenmark couldn’t close on the next attempt, and his service error gave the Ramblers the second set with a 25-23 win.

Bell started firing to open the third frame, leading Read to tab his kill. Two kills by Stenmark had the Lions tied with Loyola at four. The teams tied again at six after a Read attack error was followed by a Stenmark kill.

The Lions challenged a kill by Van Buren at eight and were unsuccessful. Third-year opposite Ian Schuller traded an attack error with Bell before a McElligott kill made it 10-8.

The Lions grabbed their first set lead of the night at 15-14 after a Schuller service ace and Van Buren error out of a Loyola timeout.

Schuller delivered another ace after a successful Loyola challenge overturned a called Fabikovic attack error into a kill.

First-year opposite hitter Lukas Anderson was subbed in and registered an ace after a Stenmark attack error, kicking off a three-point scoring run for the Ramblers with the Lions down 17-16. 

After two Lion and one Rambler service error, Bell tallied a kill to give Loyola 20, and Grant and Van Buren traded kills. Fabikovic delivered an effortless push-down kill, while the Ramblers were cruising late 22-19. 

Two more points from Lindenwood weren’t enough as Van Buren secured the 25-21 set and match sweep.

The weekend performance comes after the Ramblers moved up two spots in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll after defeating then No. 17 Ohio State University and then No. 7 California State University Northridge.

With only a few road matches remaining for the Ramblers and their last home conference match coming up, Loyola head coach Shane Davis said the poll ranking was important but isn’t a major factor in the team’s mindset.

“I think I’ve said this before, we don’t really talk about the AVCA polls as a team,” Davis said. 

“I’ve never mentioned it one time since being here through the entire season. I think it’s great from the social media standpoint and from a recruiting standpoint. It says a lot about our program, but we’re focused on the end of the year, what that goal is.”

The Ramblers head out to Charlotte, N.C. for a pair of matches against conference opponents Queens University of Charlotte April 3-5. Broadcast information is yet to be announced.