Loyola Shines in Thrilling Four-Set Victory Over Ohio State

The No. 6 Loyola men’s volleyball team secured a 3-1 victory over No. 13 Ohio State University March 20.

The Buckeyes entered Gentile Arena on a five-match win streak, which was ultimately broken by the Ramblers’ win.

The Buckeyes opened with strong offensive play, led by third-year opposite hitter Shane Wetzel, who tallied 13 kills. Wetzel’s attack, combined with first-year setter Daniel Henwood Rodriguez’s effective distribution on each side, mounted his outside hitters to give Ohio State a 10-6 lead.

Loyola was quick to respond, with their defensive blocks forcing several errors. The Buckeyes remained consistent, pushing their lead to 16-10 behind a service ace from Wetzel.

Loyola tried to fight back with timely kills from fourth-year middle blocker Nicodemus Meyer and fourth year outside hitter Parker Van Buren, but Ohio State’s offense kept the Ramblers at bay. 

At 24-21, the Buckeyes closed out the set with a block by Wetzel and fourth-year middle blocker Cole Young, taking the first set 25-21.

The second set saw the teams trading points early on, but Loyola quickly began to pick up the defensive intensity. Third-year setter Ryan McElligott set up his teammates for 45 assists.

Loyola took an early 7-5 lead, which was followed by a series of kills by Meyer and Van Buren, extending their lead to 13-9. The Buckeyes struggled to regain control as Loyola’s offense found its rhythm, with a block by Meyer and Van Buren pushing the score to 18-14.

Ohio State’s attack faltered as the set wore on, with errors from Rodriguez and Wetzel mounting up. Loyola took advantage of the errors, and Van Buren added to the lead with consecutive kills. The Ramblers closed out the second set 25-19, tying the match at one.

The Buckeyes opened the third frame with a 4-2 lead, aided by a kill from Wetzel and an ace from Rodriguez. Loyola responded by tightening up their defense and turning the tables with a serving substitution.

An ace from first-year opposite hitter Lukas Anderson tied the score at six, and the teams continued to trade points.

Loyola took a 17-15 lead after kills from Meyer and Van Buren. Ohio State stayed within striking distance, with Wetzel finding success through the middle, but the Ramblers held steady. A block by Meyer and a kill by second-year outside hitter Daniel Fabikovic put Loyola up 24-22. 

Ohio State fought off two set points, with a kill by Wetzel and a Randa block, but Loyola then closed the set at 26-24 with a Fabikovic kill, taking a 2-1 lead in the match.

Ohio State came out strong in the fourth set. The Buckeyes took a 2-0 lead, and both teams traded scores early on, making for a tight start.

Loyola quickly found its rhythm as Fabikovic and Van Buren delivered three consecutive kills, propelling the Ramblers to a 7-5 lead. Ohio State fought back to even the score at 10, but Loyola had plenty more to give.

A series of kills from Van Buren, combined with solid blocking from Bell and Meyer, helped Loyola push the score to 14-11. Ohio State responded with a service ace by Chacinski to tie the set at 14. The Ramblers regained the lead after consecutive kills from Van Buren and a Meyer block.

Loyola, now in control, pushed the score to 22-19 after a mistake from Ohio State on a serve-receive.

Ohio State fought back once more with a kill from Wetzel and an ace from Chacinskito to narrow the gap to 24-22. Loyola closed out the match with a block from Van Buren and Meyer, securing a 25-22 win in the fourth set and clinching the match 3-1.

Head coach Shane Davis said the defensive effort by his guys, which was picked up after dropping in their first set. 

“Yeah, I think the first set of Ohio State was on fire,” Davis said. “We just couldn’t slow them down.”

Throughout the match, defense was a key factor in the Ramblers’ success, as they were able to stifle Ohio State’s offense with strong digs in the later frames, according to Davis. 

“We were playing well. I think we were, what, three-for-three hitting above our average, right?” Davis said. “They had a few more aces than us, and we had fewer digs, so we just weren’t giving ourselves enough opportunities to create more kills in that set.” 

The Ramblers return to Gentile Arena March 27 at 7 p.m. to face Lindenwood University in the first of a two-game series. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+.