Oct. 6, 2007
Final Stats
Contact: Greg Murphy
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland State used a balanced offensive attack and strong defensive play to run its win streak to seven in defeating Loyola, 30-17, 30-22, 34-32 on Saturday afternoon in Woodling Gym.
With the win, the Vikings (14-5) finish the first half of the Horizon League schedule in first place with a 7-1 mark, a half-game ahead of Milwaukee (6-1), who hosts third place Valparaiso on Sunday (Oct. 7). Loyola falls to 4-15 overall and 1-7 in league play.
The day didn't begin very well for the Vikings as starting middle hitter Jenni Ramminger, who earned Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week honors last week, suffered a sprained right ankle in the final moments of warm-up and was unable to play in the contest.
"Jenni's injury rattled us," head coach Chuck Voss said. "She is so much a part of what we want to do offensively that with her out of the lineup, it could have been devastating. But I thought we regrouped quickly and came out and played hard.
"We weren't as sharp offensively as we were last night, but we fought hard and did the little things that helped make up for it."
Alexis Korovich led the CSU offense with 13 kills and added 15 digs while Beth Greulich added 10 kills. Liz Fazio, who stepped into the lineup for Ramminger, added nine kills. Freshman Amy Benz chipped in with nine kills and a team-high seven blocks.
Libero Mel Snyder recorded 20 digs, her 11th match of 20 digs or more this season.
No Rambler reached double figures in kills with Kelly Zins and Mallory Curran sharing the team lead with seven kills each with Zins adding 12 digs. Alyse Serritella led the team with 19 digs.
Sophomore defensive specialist Maggie Bonomini was the key to a great start as she served the Vikings to 10 points in the first game and recorded 11 of her 18 digs in the first game. CSU trailed 9-8 in the first game before Bonomini served the Vikings to five straight points and a 13-10 lead.
The Vikings built on that lead and when Bonomini returned to the service line with the Vikings leading 23-17, she served the game out with seven straight points.
Serving was again a key in the second game as Korovich served the Vikings to seven straight points, turning a 7-4 advantage into a 14-4 lead that the Ramblers could not come back from as CSU led by no less than five points in closing out the game.
Both teams substituted freely in game three resulting in 12 ties and three lead changes. CSU took the lead for good, 22-21, on a Fazio kill. Benz and Korovich followed with kills as part of a run that pushed the lead to 26-21 before Loyola would rally.
Loyola closed to with 28-27 on a Mallory Curran kill and both teams traded sideouts. With the game tied at 32-32, Korovich gave the Vikings the serve with a cross-court kill and following Bateman's ensuing serve, Gruelich and Lefeld teamed to block Zins' attack for the match-winning point.
The win improved CSU to 4-1 at home this year, a good sign considering that CSU will remain at home to host Butler on Friday (Oct. 12) and Wright State on Saturday (Oct. 13) this week.
