Ramblers Jinx Billikens in a Sweep 

Loyola women’s volleyball defeated Saint Louis University (SLU) in three sets Sept. 29. Second-year outside Leyna Nguyen steered the Ramblers’ offense with 10 kills while the Billikins were led by second-year outside Ellie Rink with 12 kills. 

The first set started with back-to-back service aces from third-year setter Mya Ball. Second-year rightside Katie Scherer and third-year middle blocker Chloe Morgan added a block, and errors from both sides gave the Ramblers a 5-1 lead. 

Scherer traded kills with Billiken’s third-year middle blocker Kayla Jansen and third-year outside Tea Kalajdzic. Two kills from SLU’s first-year middle blocker J’La Sparks and a kill by Kalajdzic closed the gap, but a kill by fourth-year middle blocker Avary DeBlieck and two Billikin errors forced a SLU timeout, 11-7. 

Billiken errors and a kill from third-year outside Claire Van Den Herik prior to a service ace by Ball furthered the Rambler lead. Morgan and Sparks exchanged kills, and despite a block from Rink and Jansen, kills from Nguyen and Van Den Herik along with Billiken errors forced a second SLU timeout down 19-11. 

DeBlieck tallied a solo block before Rink swapped kills with third-year rightside Kate Maley and Nguyen. Even with a kill from Sparks, Maley recorded a kill to give the Ramblers set point and a kill to conclude the first set 25-15. 

The second set started with Scherer and Nguyen trading kills with Rink and SLU’s second-year outside Tamia Maddox. While Rink tallied a service ace, Billiken’s second-year setter Jetta Brenning and Jansen added a block. Nguyen and Maley combated with a kill each, making it 5-4.

Maddox and DeBlieck swapped kills and Sparks tallied a solo block. Van Den Herik and Morgan added a block prior to a service ace from third-year libero Sam Falk. Kalajdzic picked up a kill before Billiken errors and a service ace from Ball tied the set at 11. 

Nguyen and Morgan added a block and a Morgan kill forced a SLU timeout. Rink and Jansen exchanged kills with Morgan and DeBlieck. Nguyen added a kill to combat two Rambler errors, but kills from Sparks and Maddox caused the Ramblers to call a timeout down 17-16. 

Maddox and Sparks added a block, but a 4-0 run from the Ramblers, including kills from Van Den Herik and Nguyen along with a Falk service ace, commanded a Billiken timeout. Van Den Herik tallied a solo block, and errors from both sides prior to a Nguyen kill and Scherer solo block gave the Rambler set point. Scherer closed out the second set with a kill, securing a 25-22 Rambler win. 

The third set started in SLU’s favor with 4-0 consisting of two kills from Rink and a solo block from Jansen. Morgan added a kill, but Jansen and Brenning blocked a hit in response. Maddox and Rink exchanged kills with Nguyen and DeBlieck, and back-to-back Loyola blocks forced a timeout for the Billikens, up 8-7. 

Sparks, Rink and Maddox added kills, but Morgan and DeBlick answered with kills for the Ramblers. Maddox and fourth-year setter Emma Henry swapped kills, and two SLU errors followed by a Billien block by Maddox and Sparks tied the set at 17. 

Van Den Herik tabbed a kill prior to a solo block from Morgan. Maddox and Rink exchanged kills with Scherer and Morgan. Even with a kill from Rink and a block from Jansen and Maddox, kills from Nguyen and Ball gave Loyola match point. A Billiken attack error ended the match 25-21. 

Ball said the team was ready to add a sweep at home to their record and pushed to end the match in three sets. 

“Our past few matches have gone to five, and we were ready to feel that home sweep feeling,” Ball said. “We were all pretty confident in each other, and we trust each other a lot, so we just went out swinging.” 

The Ramblers continue conference play with a road trip to Kingston, R.I. to face off against Rhode Island University Oct. 3. The match is set to start at 6 p.m.