Women’s Volleyball Earns Their Flowers at Rose Hill 3-1

Loyola women’s volleyball gained their second consecutive conference win against Fordham University Sept. 27 in The Bronx, N.Y. Second-year outside hitter Kaitlyn Burke led the charge for the Ramblers, tallying 15 kills, while Fordham’s third-year outside hitter Erynn Sweeney led the Rams with 12 kills. 

Fordham’s fourth-year outside hitter Audrey Brown and fourth-year middle blocker Ella Ramsay traded kills to start the first set. Fourth-year middle blocker Ann Marie Remmes and graduate setter and right side hitter Josie Halbleib added kills to give the Ramblers a 4-2 lead. 

Four Rambler attack errors gave the Rams the lead. Kills from Remmes and Burke along with three kills from first-year Leyna Nguyen put Loyola back in the lead. Second-year Rams right side hitter Bridget Woodruff and Sweeney tallied kills for Fordham, which were negated by attack errors making the score 16-12.

First-year right side hitter Karli Molnau and Sweney swapped kills. Halbleib and Nguyen added kills, which were combated with a kill from Brown. Second-year Rams middle blocker Sophia Kuyn and Ramsay traded kills, but the Ramblers stayed in the lead at 23-15. 

Despite a kill from Fordham’s second-year libero Özge Özaslan, a kill from Burke gave the Ramblers set point, and a Ramsay kill closed out the first set with a final score of 25-18. 

The Rams started the second set with a 4-0 run consisting of a Sweeney kill and three Rambler attack errors. Nguyen and Molnau each combated with a kill. Fordham’s second-year outside hitter Gabby Destler and Kuyn traded kills with Remmes and Nguyen to tie the set at seven apiece. 

Halbleib tallied a kill before the Rams went on a 3-0 run with kills from Woodruff and Sweeney. Directly after, the Ramblers went on a 3-0 run including kills from Burke and Molnau, which gave the Ramblers a 11-10 lead. Third-year Rams middle blocker Tatum Holderied and Brown tallied kills and despite a kill from Burke, the Rams began to pull ahead. Sweeney and Holderied tabbed service aces, increasing Fordham’s lead 18-13. 

Molanu and Destler exchanged kills. Back-to-back Fordham kills from Sweeney and Destler were met with two from Burke. Sweeney tallied another kill which sparked a 3-0 Rambler run led by Burke and Halbleib kills and a Ram error, tying the set at 22.

Sweeney gave the Rams the advantage off a kill, but consecutive kills from Burke and Molnau gave the Ramblers set point. An attack error from the Rams gave the second set to the Ramblers with a final score of 25-23. 

Back-to-back kills from Brown commenced the third set. A Holderied kill was combated with a service ace from second-year libero Sam Falk. Despite two kills from Remmes, another kill from Brown gave Fordham a 6-4 lead. 

Kuyn and Burke swapped kills, and Rambler errors increased Fordham’s lead. Woodruff and Halbleib each tallied a kill, which started a 5-1 run for the Rams. Holderied and Woodruff secured a block along with a Holderied kill. Molnau and Remmes combated with kills for Loyola, but another Holderied kill gave the Rams a 16-11 lead. 

Remmes and Nguyen swapped kills with Fordham’s fourth-year outside hitter Zoe Talabong and Brown. A 5-1 run for the Ramblers consisted of kills from Remmes, Burke, Halbleib and third-year middle blocker Avary DeBlieck. 

Sweeney and Kuyn answered with kills for the Rams, and despite Burke gaining a kill, the Rams were at set point. A kill from DeBlieck kept the Ramblers in the game, but an attack error from Loyola gave Fordham set three at 25-22. 

Sweeney started off the fourth set with a kill and Halbleib answered with a kill for the Ramblers. Remmes and DeBlieck kept the offense going for the Ramblers with a kill each. Brown and Kuyn kept the Rams in the lead with kills of their own. 

Burke and DeBlieck tallied kills, which was followed by a service ace from second-year defensive specialist Jae Fitting to tie the set at seven. Holderied and Halbleib swapped kills, and both sides surrendered points due to errors, settling the score at 10 apiece. 

Holderied added a service ace for Fordham, Burke tabbed one kill and DeBlieck tabbed three. Talabong responded for the Rams to tie the set at 14. A 6-0 run for the Ramblers increased their lead through kills from DeBlieck, Nguyen and Halbleib. 

Consecutive Molnau kills and a kill from Nguyen gave the Ramblers match point. A Halbleib kill put the game to bed with a final score of 25-18. 

Head coach Amanda Berkley said she was happy with the wins and use of the middles as an offensive tool. 

“I am proud of the team for fighting for the two wins this weekend,” Berkley said. “I thought we got a lot of production out of the middles and proud of them for being up and available.”

The Ramblers next take on George Washington University Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. in Gentile Arena. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.