Men’s Volleyball Proves Chicago is Better Than The Big Apple With Sweep

Loyola men’s volleyball recorded their second home victory against Manhattan University in a sweep Jan. 30. Third-year opposite hitter Aleksander Sosa and graduate outside hitter Josh Schellinger recorded thirteen kills each, with Schellinger recording his season-high. The Manhattan Jaspers were led by third-year outside hitter Wojtak Nowak with a total of ten kills. 

The Jaspers were on the board first after an attack error by Sosa but soon lost their ownership after a service error from the Jaspers first-year opposite Blake Perkins. The Ramblers’ first possession was marked by a service ace from third-year middle blocker Aidan Klein, leaving the score 2-1. 

Going on a 3-0 run, Manhattan capitalized on a service error from Klein, and kills by Jaspers first-year outside and opposite Kai Patchell and Perkins, taking the lead 4-2. 

Schellinger responded with a pair of kills, tying the set score at fours. The Jaspers pulled the lead with a service error from Sosa and a kill by Jaspers second-year outside hitter Kasen Owens, leaving the score at 6-4. 

Quick to answer, the Rambler went on a 4-0 run with a kill by Schellinger, attack error by Owens, a kill by Sosa and another attack error by Perkins. 

A couple of kills by Marjanovic and Owens tied the set at eight. Third-year outside Daniel Fabikovic caught a kill before the Jaspers grabbed another three kills by Marjanovic and two from Nowak to maintain the 11-9 Jaspers lead.

After an exchange of kills, the Ramblers seized a 5-0 run due to a service error, a kill by Schellinger, attack errors by Owens and Nowak and a bad set by Nowak, giving Loyola the lead 15-12. 

Nowak snuck in a kill before another 6-0 run with a service error, attack error from Nowak and kills by Fabokovic, Schellinger and Sosa extending the 21-13 Ramblers lead. 

A trade of kills between the Jaspers and Ramblers as well as a Rambler service error, left the score at 22-15. The Ramblers won the match on a 3-0 run with a kill from fourth-year middle blocker Brad Bell, an attack error by Owens and a triple block from redshirt second-year setter Alex Smits Van Oyen, Bell and Fabikovic. 

The second set began with a kill from Owens, but the Ramblers took an early lead and never looked back after a 3-0 run off a kill from Schellinger, an attack error by Marjanovic and a service ace from Klein. 

A service error from Klein gained the Jaspers a point, but the Ramblers went on another 3-0 run with a service error by Marjanovic, a kill by Schellinger and a service ace from Sosa extended the 6-2 Rambler lead. 

A kill by Patchell was answered by a kill from Sosa and an attack error by Jaspers first-year outside hitter Sam Morreale, leaving the score at 8-3, but the Jaspers tallied another point with a kill by Nowak The Jaspers added another point to their tally with a kill by Nowak. 

Kills by Bell and Sosa extended the Ramblers lead to 10-4. The Jaspers responded with a 4-0 run with a kill by Owens, an attack error by Fabokovic, a kill by first-year setter Drew Blonski and a block by Owens and Marjanovic closing the score gap 10-8. 

Back to back kills from Fabikovic were responded to by a kill from Blonski leaving the score 12-9, marking the start of a back and forth exchange of points between the Ramblers and the Jaspers. After a trade of kills, attack errors and service errors for both teams, the score was left at 18-14 with the Ramblers in the lead. 

The Ramblers went on a 3-0 run with two kills from Sosa and an attack error by Morreale. Another trade of kills by both teams left the Ramblers in a position to win the second set with a 24-17 lead. 

Before securing the win with a kill by Schellinger, the Jaspers went on a 2-0 run with a service error from redshirt second-year outside hitter Tyler Howard and a block by Nowak. 

A service error was met with a service ace by Klein to start the third set 2-0. The Jaspers followed with a kill by Patchell, getting them on the board. 

The Ramblers took another two from the Jaspers with an attack error by Nowak and a kill by Schellinger. The next break in the Ramblers action came from a service error by Sosa followed by a kill and service ace from Schellinger, giving the Ramblers a 6-2 lead. 

After some back and forth action, the Ramblers took two more with kills from Klein and Sosa, extending the Ramblers lead 9-4. 

Another exchange of kills by Nowak, Sosa and Owens left the score 10-6. The Ramblers took a 3-0 run with a kill by Klein, an attack error by Owens and a service ace by Klein. The Jaspers grabbed their own with a kill by Morreale and a service ace by Patchell. 

A service error by Patchell gave the Ramblers a chance for kills by Sosa and Bell, increasing their lead 16-8.

A kill by Morreale put up more points for the Jaspers, and after the Ramblers subbed in third-year outside hitter Jake Read, a service error by Owens followed by a double block by Fabikovic and Klein left the score 19-10. 

A Nowak kill began a long back and forth until the end of the match. The twelve point back-and-forth consisted of two kills by Nowak and four Rambler service errors, gaining the Jaspers six points before the end of the match. For the Ramblers was two kills by Sosa, two kills by Fabokovic, a service error by Nowak and a kill by redshirt second-year middle blocker Wil Hatch. 

The Ramblers took the match with a final score of 25-16 in the third set. 

Smits Van Oyen discussed the transition into the starter setter position due to fourth-year setter Ryan McElligiott facing an injury early in the season. 

“I feel like it’s been a growing process,” Smits Van Oyen said. “But the guys have really been supportive. The coaches have been supportive of getting me up to speed and just getting used to setting the guys again.” 

Smits Van Oyen saw 32 assists during the match to drive the Ramblers offense to over a .400 hitting percentage. Klein saw a career-high four service aces during the match while fourth-year libero JJ Sowa saw a match-high ten digs.  

Head coach Shane Davis commended the well-rounded efficiency of the team during the match. 

“We saw a lot of different players have a lot of great opportunities and great looks which kept us in any set,” Davis said. “But especially at the beginning when Manhattan was playing us really close, making a lot of great plays defensively, for us to be able to get that ball back and then consistently have another good rip to win some of those rallies.” 

The Ramblers begin conference matches on the road at Lindenwood University Feb. 4. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.