Women’s Volleyball Lose to VCU in Close Five Set Match

Loyola women’s volleyball played in a close match against Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Oct. 25 at the Stuart C. Siegel Center, losing 3-2. Ram’s fourth-year opposite hitter Julia Rienks helped lead VCU to victory with 19 kills, and the Rambler’s second-year outside hitter Kaitlyn Burke tallied 12 kills.

The first set started with two kills from the Rams’ second-year middle blocker Letizia Galli and third-year outside hitter Julieta Portillo. Three errors by Loyola and an ace by fourth-year outside hitter Kalina Pylinska gave VCU the lead 6-0.

The Ramblers scored their first point after an error by VCU and followed it with a kill by Burke. A kill by first-year defensive specialist Leyna Nguyen added a kill for Loyola, bringing the score to 9-3.

Rienks and fourth-year middle blocker Ann Marie Remmes had alternating kills, which were then followed by two kills from the Rams’ first-year middle blocker Sarah Dibbs-Frantz and Pylinska, keeping the Rams up 13-5.

Three kills in a row by the Ramblers’ first-year middle blocker Karli Molnau and third-year middle blocker Avary DeBlieck tightened the score to 13-8.

A kill by Galli and two errors from the Ramblers added three points for the Rams. Second-year outside and opposite side hitter Kate Maley and Burke contributed two kills for the Ramblers.

Rienks tallied two kills that were followed by a kill from DeBlieck, increasing the VCU lead to 19-15. Maley and Molnau had back-to-back kills for the Ramblers and started to close the score at 21-18.

Alternating kills by DeBlieck and Pylinska kept the match close. The Rams secured the set win after a kill by Rienks with a score of 25-21. 

The second set started with an ace by Pylinska, which was followed by a kill from Molnau. Kills were alternated between Nguyen and Galli. Burke and Remmes had back-to-back kills, putting the Ramblers up 4-2.

Though the Rams tallied a kill from Dibbs-Frantz, the Ramblers gained three points on two errors by the Rams and a kill by Nguyen.

A kill by Rienks was alternated with one by Remmes. Two block assists by Molnau and Remmes, as well as an error by VCU, kept the Ramblers on top, 12-4. 

The Rams scored points from two kills by Rienks and one from Galli. After two block assists from DeBlieck and Burke, second-year libero Jae Fitting tallied an ace for the Ramblers, keeping the lead at 18-8. 

A block from Dibb-Frantz was followed by kills from Rienks and DeBlieck. Alternating kills by Rienks and Maley brought the score to 21-11 with the Ramblers still in the lead.

A kill from Dibbs-Frantz, back-to-back kills by Rienks and a block assist by her and Galli added points for the Rams, not letting the Ramblers take an easy win.

A kill from Maley brought the score to 25-19 with the Ramblers winning the second set.

The third set started with a kill by Rienks and two block assists by Burke and DeBlieck. Another kill by Burke was tallied for the Ramblers. 

Two aces by Falk and kills by Remmes and Burke brought the Ramblers up 10-2 to start the set. A kill by Dibbs-Frantz was followed by two kills from Remmes and third-year setter Emma Henry and an ace by Nguyen.

The Ramblers committed two errors which Pylinska followed with two kills and an ace. Rienks tallied another kill that brought the score to 18-11 – the Ramblers still leading the set.

Burke and Henry tallied two kills for the Ramblers, which were followed by another kill from Rienks. A block assist from the Rams’ Pylinska and Dibbs-Frantz brought the score to 23-15.

Remmes ended the set with a kill that brought the score to 25-15.

A kill by Ram’s first-year outside hitter Lannah Price started the fourth set. It was followed by a kill from Burke and a block assist from Burke and DeBlieck. 

Kills alternated between VCU’s Galli and Rienks and Burke and Remmes, bringing the score to 4-3. Pylinska tallied five kills, Ram’s graduate setter Elif Ozsoy, Dibb-Frantz, and Rienks each tallied one, and an ace by Price brought the Rams to a big lead, 14-4.

Kills by Maley and Remmes tallied two points for the Ramblers, but two errors from the Ramblers gave points to the Rams. A kill by Pylinska and an ace by Ram’s graduate libero Haruka Sugimoto brought the score to 18-6.

Alternating kills between DeBlieck and Rienks offered a point to each team. Two errors by VCU brought the score to 22-11. The set went to the Rams, totaling a score of 25-12 after a block assist by Dibbs-Frantz and Rienks. 

The final set alternated multiple kills between Pylinska and Galli for the Rams and Burke, Maley and Molnau bringing the score even at four. 

A kill by Pylinska followed a kill by Remmes. A block assist by DeBlieck and Burke tied the score again at seven apiece. Two errors from the Rams and a kill from Rienks kept the score close at 11-10.

Three consecutive kills by Burke brought the Ramblers to a lead of 14-11 and to match point. A kill from Rienks and a block assist by Dibbs-Frantz and Price prevented the Ramblers from winning and tied it at 14.

A kill by Remmes brought it to match point for the Ramblers again, but a kill by Dibbs-Frantz combated it. A kill by Molnau tied the match at 17, but an error from the Ramblers gave the Rams match point. Rienks finished off the final set with a kill as the Rams won 19-17 and an overall win of the match 3-2. 

Head Coach Amanda Berkley thought the Rams played better than the day before.

“We needed to respond better when we go down in a set,” said Berkley. 

The Ramblers will continue their conference play Oct. 31 against the University of Dayton in Gentile Arena at 6 p.m. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.