Ramblers Sweep Rams in Richmond

Loyola women’s volleyball swept Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Oct. 24 at the Stuart C. Siegel Center for their eighth conference win. Fourth-year middle blocker Ann Marie Remmes led the Ramblers’ offense, tallying 11 kills. Rams’ fourth-year outside hitter Julia Rienks led the team with 10 kills. 

Starting the first set was Rams’ third-year outside hitter Julieta Portillo with a kill. VCU’s third-year middle blocker Nina Boledovicova and Rienks followed after an error which offered a point to the Ramblers.

First-year defensive specialist Leyna Nguyen, second-year outside hitter Kaitlyn Burke and Remmes tallied kills for the Ramblers, tying the score at four.

Back-to-back kills by Rams’ second-year middle blocker Letizia Galli and Rienks were followed by back-to-back errors by VCU, keeping the score tied at eight.

First-year middle blocker Karli Molnau tallied a kill but was succeeded with kills from Rienks and Boledovicova. Tying the score again, 13 apiece, Burke and Remmes added kills. 

Two kills from Remmes and an attack error by the Rams brought the Ramblers to a 17-14 lead. Kills were then swapped by Rienks and second-year outside and opposite hitter Kate Maley.

A kill from Molnau sustained Loyola’s lead, now 20-16. Galli and third-year setter Emma Henry traded kills. Galli added a service ace and a kill which was followed by two Rambler attack errors, tying the set at 21. 

The Ramblers pulled to win the set after two kills from third-year middle blocker Avary DeBlieck, a service ace from second-year libero Jae Fitting and the winning kill from Burke. The set ended with a Rambler lead of 25-21.

The second set started with kills from Burke, DeBlieck and Remmes. The Ramblers had an error, and the Rams had two errors, bringing the Ramblers to an early 5-1 lead.

Boledovicova tallied a kill for the Rams, gaining them their second point. After a block by Remmes, the Rams tied the set at seven with a kill from Pylinska, a service ace from VCU’s fourth-year setter Elif Ozsoy and two errors from Loyola.

Back-to-back kills from Molnau and DeBlieck offered the Ramblers a small lead. Alternating kills by Pylinska and Nguyen maintained the lead to 10-8.

A service ace from Fitting was followed by two errors from each team. Second-year libero Sam Falk got another service ace, bringing the score to 15-11 — the Ramblers still leading the set. 

Consecutive kills from Maley and Remmes followed a kill and block from Boledovicova. Errors from each team kept the Ramblers at a four-point lead of 18-14. 

Five consecutive points for the Ramblers were contributed by kills from Nguyen, Remmes and Molnau and a block by Remmes. 

Pylinska tallied one more kill before the Ramblers finished the set with back-to-back kills by Molnau, securing another win for the Ramblers with a score of 25-15.

Set three began with a service ace from Henry and a kill from Pylinska. DeBlieck tallied a kill which was followed by an error from each team. Rienks’ kill brought the score to three apiece

Back-to-back kills from Remmes and Nguyen were followed by a kill by Boledovicova, which was met by another back-to-back rally of kills by Remmes and Nguyen.

A kill by Galli followed a block assist from DeBlieck and Henry set the score at 10-6 with the Ramblers holding the lead.

The Rams obtained points from a kill by Rienks and a Loyola attack error. The Ramblers succeeded this with a kill from Burke and consecutive service aces from Fitting, keeping a lead of 15-8.

Three service aces in a row by Falk gave the Ramblers a 10-point lead over the Rams at 19-9. Portillo and Ozsoy tallied kills for the Rams. A block and kill by Rams’ first-year middle blocker Sarah Dibbs-Frantz were accompanied by two attack errors from Loyola, tightening the score to 20-16. 

After the Ramblers gained two points from Ram attack errors, Boledovicova tallied a kill, and VCU graduate Haruka Sugimoto got a service ace, bringing the score up to 22-18, the Ramblers still leading. 

To end the set, two errors from the Rams offered the Ramblers the points they needed to win and closed the match at 25-19. 

Head coach Amanda Berkley commended Loyola’s serving in their win.

“We served really well tonight,” Berkeley said. “I thought [Falk] and [Fitting] made a big difference in the match.” 

The Ramblers will play against the Rams again on Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.