Ramblers defeat the Dukes in five sets 

Loyola women’s volleyball defeated Duquesne University in five sets Oct. 9. Ramblers second-year outside Leyna Nguyen led the charge with 18 kills while the Dukes’ first-year rightside Simone Searles held down the offense tallying 21 kills. 

The first set started with a 5-1 run for the Dukes, consisting of three kills from Searles, a kill from first-year outside Londyn Stone and a service ace from redshirt fourth-year libero Delaney McIntosh. The Ramblers’ fourth-year middle blocker Avary DeBlieck and second-year rightside Katie Scherer added a block and third-year middle blocker Chloe Morgan tallied a service ace, making it 5-4. 

Scherer and Nguyen added a kill each and third-year outside Claire Van Den Herik tabbed a solo block. A service ace from Nguyen was met with a kill from Stone. Third-year rightside Kate Maley and DeBlieck each tallied a kill, giving Loyola an 11-8 lead. 

The Dukes proceeded to go on a 5-0 run with kills from third-year outside Emersen Schrom and Searles, along with Rambler errors. Scherer and Schrom exchanged kills and errors from both sides prior to a Nguyen kill, tying the set at 16. 

Fourth-year middle blocker Jordan Robertson added a kill before Scherer and Nguyen tallied kills of their own. Schrom added a block and a kill but Nguyen and DeBlieck combatted with a kill each. Nguyen tallied a service ace but Schrom negated it with a kill. Two blocks from first-year middle Maddie Bush and fourth-year setter Chloe Wilmot kept the Dukes in the game. A kill from DeBlick gave the Ramblers set point, and a Duquesne error closed out the first set for Loyola 25-22. 

Searles and Scherer exchanged a kill apiece to start the second set. Stone added a kill and McIntosh secured a service ace, but Scherer and Nguyen combatted it with a kill each. Nguyen added two kills, DeBlieck added one and fourth-year setter Emma Henry served an ace, making it 8-5. 

Searles and DeBlieck swapped kills prior to Stone adding back-to-back service aces. A kill from Van Den Herik was met with a kill each from Searles, Wilmot and Schrom, as well as Rambler errors. Morgan and Scherer fought back, securing a kill each. Third-year setter Mya Ball tallied a service ace, making it 14-13. 

Wilmot and Searles added two kills and Scherer countered with a kill for Loyola. Morgan and Nguyen exchanged kills with Bush, Searles and Stone. DeBlieck and Robertson swapped kills before the Ramblers went on a 5-0 run including kills from Maley and Morgan and a service ace from Ball, giving Loyola set point, 24-23. 

A service error from Loyola and a block from Bush and Schrom gave the Dukes a set point. A kill from Searles ended the second set and tied the match at a set each, 26-24.  

The third set started with kills from Morgan, Nguyen and Scherer. Searles combatted with a kill, but Nguyen and Scherer’s two added kills and errors from both sides made it 7-4. 

Schrom and Scherer exchanged kills before Wilmot tallied a kill and Schrom and Robertson added back-to-back blocks. Maley and DeBlieck scored a kill each, but they were negated with kills from Stone and Schrom. DeBlieck and Morgan got the middles going with a kill each, but two consecutive kills from Searles made it 15-13 for the Ramblers. 

Searles added a kill and McIntosh tabbed a service ace, which Nguyen and Scherer met with two kills. Searles and Scherer traded kills before Stone tallied a kill of her own. Van Den Herik secured a kill which Schrom negated with a kill for the Dukes. A service ace from third-year libero Sam Falk gave the Ramblers set point, 24-22. 

Despite a kill from Schrom to tie the set at 24, a Maley kill and an error from the Dukes concluded the third set, 26-24. 

The fourth set started with a 6-1 run for the Dukes, including kills from Schrom, Searles and Bush. Scherer added a kill before DeBlick and Nguyen secured a block. Searles and Stone kept the offense hot with a kill each, DeBlieck responding with a kill to close the gap 8-5. 

Robertson and Stone added a kill, and Searles and Nguyen traded service aces. Schrom and DeBlieck swapped kills prior to a service ace from Ball. Bush and Morgan exchanged a kill each before a Schrom service ace furthered the Dukes’ lead, 17-11. 

Nguyen tallied a kill and Morgan secured a service ace that was met with a kill from Stone and a block by Robertson and Searles. DeBlieck added a solo block and a kill from Wilmot gave the Dukes set point. Two errors from the Ramblers gave the 25-16 win to the Lions, forcing a fifth set. 

The last set started with a kill from Searles and a block from Morgan and Nguyen. DeBlieck tallied a solo block and Robertson added a kill before Nguyen and Schrom swapped kills to tie the set at six. 

The Ramblers went on a 5-0 run, including kills from Maley and Van Den Herik as well as a service ace from Falk. Schrom and Searles added a kill each, but a kill from Nguyen and a Duke error gave the Ramblers match point. Bush tried to keep the Dukes in the game with a kill, but Scherer ended the match with a kill for Loyola and a final score of 15-9. 

Head Coach Amanda Berkley said she was proud of the defense and was ready for the next match. 

“Sam [Falk] proved to be the difference maker today,” Berkeley said. “Digging 32 balls and adding some points from the service line. Duquesne has some really great hitters, so we’ll have to adjust a little better and quicker tomorrow. Overall, I’m really proud of how our team battled all night.”

The Ramblers return to Gentile Arena to take on Davidson College Oct. 16 at 6 p.m.