Men’s Volleyball Sweep Northern Kentucky in Road Trip Matchup

Loyola men’s volleyball swept Northern Kentucky University in three sets March 21. Third-year outside hitter Daniel Fabikovic led the charge with 10 kills, while graduate outside hitter Josh Schellinger and Norse third-year outside hitter Griffin Wheatley trailed with six kills apiece. 

The first set started with a kill by third-year middle blocker Aidan Klein, whose serve went out of bounds the next play. First-year middle blocker Oskar Berg Mikkelsen and graduate outside hitter Josh Schellinger both spiked kills before Wheatley tallied one of his own. 

Third-year outside hitter Daniel Fabikovic hit back-to-back kills before Schellinger’s serve went wild. Kills by Berg Mikkelsen and fourth-year setter Ryan McElligott were followed by a kill from Norse first-year middle blocker Dax Wittren. 

A kill by Fabikovic was followed by an attack error from Norse redshirt second-year setter and opposite hitter Will McElveen. Klein tallied another kill before Fabikovic and Klein recorded a block on McElveen’s hit. McElligott served up an ace, and Wheatley’s attack error put the Ramblers in a strong 13-4 lead. 

Norse graduate outside hitter Matt Cosgrove tallied a kill before Wittren and Fabikovic traded service errors. Northern Kentucky’s first-year middle blocker Chase Alyea and Cosgrove tallied a block against redshirt second-year outside hitter Tyler Howard’s kill attempt before Klein spiked another kill. 

Wheatley’s bad set was followed by an ace from third-year opposite hitter Lukas Anderson and a missed hit by McElveen. Alyea and Berg Mikkelsen traded kills before Schellinger’s attack error was met with a kill by Berg Mikkelsen and a Schellinger ace to extend the 20-9 Loyola lead. 

Fabikovic and Berg Mikkelsen blocked Norse first-year opposite hitter Grant Simer’s hit before Schellinger served up another ace. Wheatley’s hit landed off court, and a Fabikovic kill sealed the 25-9 set win for the Ramblers. 

The second set began with back-to-back Schellinger kills and a Fabikovic service error. Klein hit a kill before he and Alyea missed their serves. McElveen tallied a kill before his serve went out of bounds on the next play. Norse first-year middle blocker Ryan Peterson and first-year outside hitter Drew Palmer recorded attack errors, cutting into the Ramblers 7-3 lead. 

Palmer met his own kill with a service error before Howard and Fabikovic each recorded a kill, and Cosgrove scored two. Howard landed another kill before blocking McElveen’s hit alongside Klein. After another kill by Klein, Fabikovic served up an ace, strengthening Loyola’s 14-6 lead. 

A kill by McElveen was met by a service ace from Cosgrove before Palmer recorded an attack error and Anderson missed his serve. Berg Mikkelsen, McElveen and Schellinger swapped kills before McElveen tallied two attack errors. McElligott’s hit landed out of bounds before a kill by Fabikovic and another attack error by Palmer. 

Cosgrove and Fabikovic traded kills before Klein and Howard blocked Cosgrove’s next hit. Another attack error was recorded for Cosgrove, and a block on Simer’s hit by Fabikovic and Klein secured the 25-12 set two victory for the Ramblers. 

The third set started with a kill from Schellinger before fourth-year middle blocker Brad Bell and Cosgrove traded service errors. Howard served up an ace, and Wheatley’s attack error put the Ramblers ahead 4-1. 

Three kills by Wheatley and an attack error by Howard were followed by a kill and a service error by Schellinger. Fabikovic tallied a kill before Wheatley hit another ball out of bounds. Berg Mikkelsen served an ace and an error, but Howard’s kill and an attack error by Wittren maintained the 10-7 Rambler lead. 

Wheatley and Bell traded kills, and Wheatley’s next kill was negated by his service error the next play. McElveen and Berg Mikkelsen landed kills before McElveen’s next hit landed off court. Norse first-year outside hitter Zach Jarboe and Howard traded service errors, and a block on Cosgrove’s hit by Berg Mikkelsen and McElligott kept the Ramblers in the lead 16-11. 

McElveen tallied another kill before Wheatley recorded an attack error, but both points were negated by a Berg Mikkelsen service error and a Fabikovic attack error. Howard, Cosgrove, Fabikovic, Alyea and Bell all hit kills before McElveen’s hit landed out of bounds. 

Redshirt third-year outside hitter Bryce Robbins and Alyea traded kills before Robbins missed his serve. He redeemed himself with a kill before McElveen’s hit didn’t land on court. 

Third-year outside hitter Jake Read’s service error was met with an attack error by Berg Mikkelsen, but Fabikovic’s kill sealed the 25-20 set victory and 3-0 match win for Loyola. 

The Ramblers continue their road trip with a match against Lewis University March 26. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match can be watched on YouTube.