Loyola Knocks off Butler in Volleyball Semifinals

Nov. 20, 2004

Box Score

Loyola 3, Butler 2
(23-30, 31-29, 30-23, 26-30, 15-11)


YOUNGSTOWN---Nichol Amberg pounded out 26 kills, including six in game five, to lead No. 3 seed Loyola to a 23-30, 31-29, 30-23, 26-30, 15-11 victory over No. 2 seed Butler in the semifinals of the Horizon League Volleyball Championship Saturday at Beeghly Center.


With the win, the Ramblers (21-8) advance to Sunday's championship match to face No. 4 seed Cleveland State (15-12) at 1 p.m. EST. Loyola will be returning to the final for the first time since making six straight appearances from 1997-2002. Last year the Ramblers lost in the semifinals to eventual tournament champion UW-Green Bay.


After Butler (18-10) tied the match at two games apiece, Amberg scored Loyola's first five points of game five as the Ramblers built a 5-3 lead and never trailed again. Three kills by Hilary Stromath and a service ace by Courtney Ashley then put Loyola up 12-7. But the Bulldogs' Areal Bienemy scored three of the next four points to cut the lead to 14-11. On the third match point, however, Laura White's serve went out of bounds, handing the win to the Ramblers.


Butlerf, which swept the Ramblers a week ago at Indianapolis, hit .400 to Loyola's .026 to take game one and appeared on the verge winning the second with a seemingly secure 28-21 lead. But Courtney Ashley caught fire with five kills as the Ramblers came from behind to win 31-29.


"We weren't playing like ourselves until that point in the game," said Loyola head coach Tim O'Brien. "Then we were able to carry that momentum into game three. Game four was close for a while and then we came out strong in game five and met all of our mini-goals. If we could have set Nicole (Amberg) every time in that game, we would have. She had a tough game last week at Butler, but she showed her and our team's resolve tonight."


Loyola then claimed game three before the Bulldogs pulled out game four.


Amberg added 21 digs for a 20-20 performance, while Stromath had 20 kills and Kathryn Langheld had 15. Setter Lauren Holbrook totalled 72 assists and 18 digs.


Kali Carter led Butler with 19 kills to go along with 19 digs, and Bienemy finished with 16 kills.