Sweep Over Saint Francis Extends Ramblers’ Early Win Streak

Loyola men’s volleyball won over Saint Francis University in Gentile Arena  Jan. 17 to secure their first sweep of the season. Redshirt fourth-year outside Parker Van Buren led the Ramblers with 11 kills, while Saint Francis’ fourth-year outside Andrew Deardorff led the Red Flash with seven kills. 

The Ramblers came out with an ace from second-year outside Daniel Fabikovic —who was last week’s AVCA player of the week — and a Saint Francis attack error. A kill and service error from Deardorff gave the Ramblers an early 3-1 lead. 

Errors from both sides evened the game, as back-to-back kills from third-year middle blocker Brad Bell put Loyola up 8-3. A kill from Deardorff kept the Red Flash in the game.

Fabikovic and Van Buren each secured a kill followed by a service ace from redshirt first-year setter Alex Smits Van Oyen. This match was Smits Van Oyen’s first career start as a Rambler. Second-year outside Jake Read and fourth-year middle Nicodemus Meyer recorded consecutive kills to further the Ramblers’ 18-7 lead. 

Third-year middle blocker Sam Lane tabbed a kill for the Red Flash followed by a Read kill. Second-year opposite Lukas Anderson secured his first ace of the match to make it 21-8, before the Red Flash gained three consecutive points off Loyola errors and an ace from third-year Red Flash outside Brady Stump. 

After a service ace from Read and Red Flash attack errors, the first set came to a close with a final score of 25-13.

Van Buren came out with the first kill in the second set following a Red Flash error, before kills from Lane and Read made it 3-1. A Deardoff kill sparked a nine-point run for the Ramblers, consisting of kills from Read, Van Buren and Fabikovic alongside Saint Francis attack errors.

Deardorff secured two kills, giving the Red Flash a glimpse of hope, only to be rebutted with two kills from Van Buren. Loyola service errors kept Saint Francis in the game, as Van Buren obtained another kill and ace, adding to the 17-7 Rambler lead. 

Rambler errors and a Deardorff kill brought the score to 21-10. A kill from Meyer and a Red Flash error finished out the second set 25-14. 

Traded kills between fourth-year outside Michael Mosbacher and Read started the third set at one apiece. A kill from Saint Francis’ first-year setter Kyle Charles preceded a four-point Rambler run, consisting of kills from Van Buren and Bell to make it a 5-2 lead. 

Kills from Read, Van Buren and Fabikovic as well as a Van Buren ace extended the Rambler lead. Deardorff secured a kill following a Rambler error, making it 9-5. Saint Francis’ redshirt third-year Nicholas Lynch and Fabikovic traded two kills each, narrowing the Rambler lead. 

Three kills from Stump, and two kills from Van Buren and Fabkovic brought the score to 15-11. The Ramblers went on a four-point run with kills from Meyer and Van Buren as back-to-back service errors and a Fabikovic kill gave Loyola extra momentum. 

Consecutive service aces from Van Buren secured the match for Loyola with a final third set score of 25-15. 

Head coach Shane Davis said he felt it was a great win for the program as he considers Saint Francis to be a tough match up. 

“I think they’re a really gritty team,” Davis said. “They played really hard. They run a really fast offense, and I thought we did a really good job of sticking to our discovery board and executing at a high level on both sides of the ball, which is something that we need to focus on. Happy with the win and happy that Alex [Van Oyen Smits] got his first opportunity to run the show.”  

Only having arrived to Loyola two weeks ago, Van Oyen Smits said he felt great as his first career start was a sweep.

The Ramblers will take on Missouri University of Science and Technology Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. in Gentile Arena. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.