Loyola Falls at Wisconsin in NCAA Volleyball Tournament
Dec. 4, 2004
Story courtesy of Loyola sports information office.
MADISON, Wis.-Despite a valiant team effort, the Loyola women's volleyball team had its chances but host Wisconsin was able to win big points down the stretch, earning a 3-0 (30-27, 30-26, 30-25) win over the Ramblers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night at the UW Fieldhouse in Madison, Wis. Loyola sees its season end with a 22-9 mark while the Badgers (20-9) advance to take on Notre Dame in Saturday's second round.
"It was a great experience to play against Wisconsin," said head coach Tim O'Brien. "The atmosphere was fantastic, our team played their hearts out and we just came up a little bit short. I am proud of our team this season. We have overcome some obstacles, won a great amount of games and played very well all year."
Game one was a dogfight throughout, with neither team enjoying more than a three-point lead. Trailing 7-6, Loyola reeled off four straight points, two on Hilary Stromath kills, to take a 10-7 lead. Wisconsin pulled even at 12-12 and the teams alternated points until consecutive Badger blocks gave them a 19-17 edge. Another block capped a 3-0 UW run that gave the hosts a seemingly comfortable 23-20 lead. However, as would be the theme of the match, the Ramblers battled back. A 5-2 run, highlighted by a pair of Courtney Ashley kills, tied the game at 25 and a Badger error gave the Ramblers a 27-26 lead, prompting a UW timeout. However, Wisconsin stormed out of the timeout and a pair of Maria Carlini kills gave it a 29-27 lead and the Badgers closed it out with their 10th block of the frame.
"I thought we had a great chance in the first game, coming out of a timeout up 27-26 and had an opportunity for a dig and just missed it," said O'Brien. "If we make that play and can score, it would have interesting to see how it played out but Wisconsin came back and earned all four of those points."
Senior setter Lauren Holbrook led the Ramblers with six kills in the frame with Stromath adding five, the duo helping offset a tough night from leading hitter Nichol Amberg , who did not record a kill in the opening game.
"It was just a situation where I felt like I was open and could score some points," said Holbrook on her offensive exploits. "I knew they were keying on Nichol (Amberg) so when I was in the front row I just tried to be a hitter."
Wisconsin stormed out of the gates in game two, turning a 3-3 tie into a 10-5 advantage. However, the Ramblers dug in and slowly whittled away at the lead. Another Holbrook kill pulled LU to within 12-10 and a Kathryn Langheld solo block made it a 15-14 game. Wisconsin was able to keep the Ramblers at bay until an Ashley service ace pulled the Ramblers into a 21-21 tie. The Badgers responded by scoring the next two points to regain a small cushion and that turned out to be all they needed, as the teams traded kills to 28-26 before two LU errors lifted UW to a 2-0 lead at intermission.
Game three was another tight affair and a three-point Rambler run, started by Amberg's first kill of the match and capped by another Ashley service ace, gave LU a 12-10 advantage. The lead was short-lived as Aubrey Meierotto served up five straight points to give Wisconsin a 16-12 lead. Again, Loyola fought back and closed to 19-17 on a Katie Henry kill. The teams traded alternated the next eight points, with the Ramblers refusing to fold but unable to find a break. Instead, it was the Badgers that put together a 4-0 spurt, keyed by three Loyola errors, that gave them some breathing room at 27-21. Loyola responded with three straight points, the last on a Holbrook ace, to get within 27-24 but Wisconsin scored three of the final four points coming out of a timeout to end the match.
Loyola, in defeat, actually outkilled Wisconsin, 48-46, for the match but 18 Badger blocks helped contribute to 36 LU hitting errors, which proved to be the difference in the match. Stromath led the Ramblers with 11 kills while Langheld and Henry added nine apiece. Holbrook, the school's all-time leader in both assists and digs, finished with eight kills, eight digs and 35 assists. Amberg, who entered the match with 475 kills, the fifth-highest single-season total in school history, finished with just four kills on 33 swings. In addition, sophomore Ann Deelo recorded 11 digs to break the Loyola single-season record. Deelo finished the season with 415 digs.
