First-year outside hitter Daniel Fabikovic recorded 18 kills in the win, just missing his season high of 19.
First-year outside hitter Daniel Fabikovic recorded 18 kills in the win, just missing his season high of 19.
The Loyola men’s volleyball team swept the Purdue University Fort Wayne Mastodons Feb. 29 at Gentile Arena. First-year outside hitter Daniel Fabikovic lit up the box score with 18 kills in the straight-set victory, one shy of his season-high record of 19.
The Mastodons struck first with an ace from fifth-year outside hitter Jon Diedrich, which was followed by a kill from third-year outside hitter Mark Frazier. Loyola gained the serve after a Purdue Fort Wayne service error but conceded another kill from Diedrich and went down 3-1 after the opening exchange.
The first set went point-for-point until back-to-back kills from Daniel Fabikovic gave Loyola the first lead change of the night at 16-14. Purdue Fort Wayne erased the deficit after a kill from Fraizer and a Loyola attack error to tie it again at 16.
The Mastodons’ Frazier capped off a 3-0 run with an ace after two Rambler reception errors, sending Loyola into their first timeout behind 21-20. Out of the break, a block assist from fourth-year middle blocker Jack Yentz, third-year middle blocker Nicodemus Meyer and redshirt third-year Dan Mangun followed a kill from Fabikovic to put the Ramblers back ahead 22-21.
The final exchange started with a kill from redshirt third-year outside hitter Parker Van Buren followed by a service error from Yentz. A powerful ace over the middle from third-year Mastodon middle blocker Bryce Walker was answered by Van Buren with another kill to give Loyola a set point. The Ramblers’ last-minute substitution of first-year setter Cole Scobel proved impactful, as he recorded an ace to take down the Mastodons 25-23 in a competitive first set.
In the second set, Loyola sparked a 4-0 scoring run after two block assists from Meyer Van Buren and Yentz. An attack error from the Mastodons and a kill from fourth-year middle blocker Jimmy Meinhart gave Loyola a 5-3 lead while Purdue Fort Wayne settled for an early timeout.
A service error by Purdue Fort Wayne followed a kill from first-year middle blocker Kaden Fosdick. Loyola rode an array of momentum with a block assist from Mangun and Meyer. Van Buren followed with an ace.
Kills from Meyer and Fabikovic added two more to the board for the Ramblers. A final three-player block assist from Mangun, Meinhart and Meyer gave the Ramblers a 13-6 lead.
Third-year Purdue Fort Wayne opposite hitter Axel Melendez Watts traded a kill with Fabikovic. Meinhart’s final kill followed nine attacks and reception errors from both sides. Fabikovic broke the pattern with a kill to give Loyola 22 points.
Two kills from Fabikovic gave Loyola a match point, and Yentz added a kill to give Loyola a dominant set two victory, 25-15.
Loyola opened the third with two Fabikovic kills before a Ramblers attack error set up a kill from Meinhart on the next play. A block assist from Van Buren and Meinhart followed a kill for the Mastodons and an attack error from Yentz. Loyola led 4-3 after the first exchange of the third.
Meyer followed with two kills, and Van Buren and Frazier traded a kill with Yentz. Two service errors from each side followed and Loyola inched ahead 9-6 after two service errors by both teams.
A block assist from Fabikovic and Meinhart followed a kill from Melendez Watts. A kill from Yentz and Fabikovic and an attack error by Van Buren put Loyola ahead 15-10.
After a timeout, Van Buren grabbed his second ace of the night while both teams traded kills. An ace from Mangun made the score 20-13. The Ramblers were forced to take a timeout after three attack errors.
Fabikovic made another kill set by second-year libero J.J. Sowa, followed by a kill from Yentz. A bad set from Mangun gave Purdue Fort Wayne the serve, but Meyer sent the Mastodons into a second timeout now trailing 23-17 after a powerful solo block.
A kill from Fraizer gave Purdue Fort Wayne 18 points. For set point, Mangun set up Fabikovic for his 18th kill. A service error from Van Buren gave the Mastodons 19 and Walker, Diedrich and first-year setter Andrej Polomac followed with a block assist to reach 20. Another attack error followed for Loyola, but Van Buren registered a kill over the middle to take the third 25-21 and complete the sweep.
Loyola returns to Gentile Arena to face Quincy University March 14 at 7 p.m. with broadcast information yet to be announced.
Featured image by Allison Treanor | The Phoenix
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