SLU’s Jillian Mattingly goes for a kill during Tuesday’s Atlantic 10 Conference match against Loyola Chicago. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

NCAA Women’s Volleyball123Final
Loyola Chicago (5-11, 3-2)252525(3)
Saint Louis University (9-8, 2-3)222217(0)

Nora Nichols
Staff Writer

ST. LOUIS, MO — The reigning Atlantic 10 Conference champions came to town Tuesday night, and they looked every bit like it in a three sets to none women’s volleyball win over host Saint Louis University.

Loyola Chicago won the league title last year, and though they’ve gotten off to a slow start this season, the Ramblers played maybe their best match of the year against the Billikens on Tuesday, taking the contest by scores of 25-22, 25-22, 25-17.

The loss dropped Saint Louis to 9-8 on the season and 2-3 in Atlantic 10 league play. Loyola is now 5-11 overall and 3-2 in the conference.

The two teams came into the night tied for fourth place in the A-10 standings. Loyola remains in fourth, SLU has now slipped to fifth place.

The big key to Tuesday night’s matchup was hitting. Neither team was outstanding hitting the ball, but the Billikens managed to be worse and paid for it with a loss.

The Ramblers out swung the Billikens .224 to .104 and recorded 10 blocks and 44 kills to the home team’s four blocks and 31 kills. The loss moves SLU to 9-8 on the year and 2-3 in conference play.

Loyola struck first in the Tuesday night matchup, recording the first two points of the night to take the early lead. SLU found an answer, though, as Jillian Mattingly came up big with a huge kill to make the score 4-3 in favor of the visiting team.

The teams traded points until four straight attack errors by the Ramblers tied the match up at seven apiece, prompting a Loyola timeout. The remainder of the set was marked by 10 ties and four lead changes before the Ramblers took the first set, 25-22.

Set two followed suit and was marked by momentum-shifting runs. Midway through the Billikens held a 14-10 advantage, but the Ramblers swung .343 in set two while recording 17 kills to dig themselves out of the deficit and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Ramblers got off to a quick start in the third set and after two early lead changes, went on a 6-0 run to go up 15-6. The Billikens wouldn’t go down easy, though, and answered with four straight points of their own to bring the score within six. From there, it was all Loyola as the Ramblers won the race to 25 to take the match and earn their fifth win of the season and third A-10 match.

Kayla Richardson let the Billikens’ attack with nine kills, while Josie Newcom and Mattingly added seven apiece, while the senior swung for .467.

Surpassing 300 digs on the season, Carlie Rodgers recorded 18 digs through the match while Kate Aupperle tallied 18 assists.

Saint Louis will be on the road this weekend, when it travels to Pittsburgh to play a pair of A-10 league matches against Duquesne. The first match will be on Friday at 5 p.m., with the second match set for Saturday at 1 p.m.

2023 Saint Louis University Billikens Women’s Volleyball Schedule

DateTimeAtOpponentLocation
October 6 (Friday)5:00 PMAwayDuquesnePittsburgh, Pa.
October 7 (Saturday)1:00 PMAwayDuquesnePittsburgh, Pa.
October 13 (Friday)6:00 PMHomeFordhamChaifetz Pavilion
October 14 (Saturday)2:00 PMHomeFordhamChaifetz Pavilion
October 20 (Friday)7:00 PMAwayDaytonDayton, Ohio
October 21 (Saturday)2:00 PMAwayDaytonDayton, Ohio
October 24 (Tuesday)6:00 PMAwayLoyola ChicagoChicago, Ill.
October 28 (Saturday)2:00 PMHomeRhode IslandChaifetz Pavilion
October 29 (Sunday)2:00 PMHomeRhode IslandChaifetz Pavilion
November 3 (Friday)7:00 PMAwayDavidsonDavidson, N.C.
November 4 (Saturday)4:00 PMAwayDavidsonDavidson, N.C.
November 10 (Friday)6:00 PMHomeGeorge WashingtonChaifetz Pavilion
November 11 (Saturday)2:00 PMHomeGeorge WashingtonChaifetz Pavilion