IPFW Upsets #14 Loyola in Five-Set Thriller
CHICAGO - Led by Bryan
Saunders and Ivan
Matos, the IPFW men's volleyball team climbed back from a
two-set deficit to beat #14 Loyola in five sets Friday evening at
Gentile Arena in Chicago, Ill.
The Mastodons snap a two-match skid, and move to 8-6 (2-2 MIVA)
overall in 2012. Loyola drops to 8-7 (1-2 MIVA) with the home loss.
IPFW halts a six-match losing streak to Loyola with the win.
The Ramblers were victorious in the first two sets after earning
26-24 and 25-17 wins. IPFW jumped out to a commanding 13-3 lead in
the opening game, before Loyola marched back, and fought-off three
Mastodon set point chances to win the frame. In set two, the
Ramblers took an 8-7 advantage and never looked back, moving ahead
20-11, and finishing the set with a kill from Cody Caldwell to take
a 2-0 match lead.
After intermission, the teams traded points in the third set,
before IPFW earned a one-point advantage at 8-7, and held the lead
up to set point. On the frame's final play, Omar
Rivera placed a set to a jumping Matos, who blasted a
kill to hand the Mastodons set three, 25-22.
In the fourth set, two kills each from Eddie
Rivera and Elon
Fyfield gave IPFW a 10-5 lead. A block from O. Rivera and
Corey
Frain carried the five-point advantage to 20-15, as the
visitors remained aggressive from all spots of the court. When IPFW
drew set point at 24-22, Saunders found the ball at the middle of
the net, and finished with a powerful kill to move the contest into
a fifth and deciding set.
An E. Rivera attack error and Rambler kill gave the home team an
early 2-0 advantage in the final frame. Moments later, IPFW gained
the lead at 6-4 after Saunders dialed in a kill, forcing a Loyola
timeout. Following the break, the Ramblers answered with
back-to-back points to even the set at 6-6. The teams traded points
until IPFW took the lead at 12-11 off a kill from Matos. The
Mastodons held the advantage to match point at 14-13, when E.
Rivera put the contest away with his eighth kill of the night to
give IPFW the road win.
Matos led the Mastodons with 17 kills, while Saunders recorded a
career-high 11. JW
Kieckhefer and Fyfield totaled nine and eight digs,
respectively. O. Rivera tallied a team-best 37 assists. Fourteen
Mastodons saw action on Friday.
IPFW will return home for its next match on March 2, when NJIT
enters the Gates Sports Center. First servce is set for 7:00 p.m.
EST.
