LISLE, Ill. (Duhawks.com) - Friday night marked the beginning of league play for the Loras men's volleyball team. For the second time this season, the Duhawks battled with Benedictine, this time coming up short in four sets, 3-1. Freshman Ryan Galvan led the offensive charge with 13 kills and a .273 attack percentage while freshman Alfredo Lopez hit .391 with 11 kills.

FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Ryan Galvan | The freshman outside hitter posted season-highs in kills (13) and his third consecutive match with a .200 attack percentage or better. Addtionally, Friday marked the second time this season that Galvan recorded 10 or more kills.

POST GAME NOTES

• Loras matched up with Benedictine in their opening MCVL match of the 2016 season.
• Set one featured back and forth play from both sides as the score was knotted up at 9-all early on.
• Throughout the frame, both teams sided out frequently thanks to a slew of service and attacking errors.  
• The Eagles took hold of and finished the set in the late stages thanks to a three-point run at 22-20, which was capped by a John Mathews kill.
• Both sides combined for ten service errors in the first frame.
• Loras, coming out fresh and energized to start the second set, raced out to a 9-4 lead thanks to a six-point run with Dylan Ross at the serving stripe.
• After a Benedictine timeout, the Eagles crawled back into the set as a Zach Loeding kill brought  the deficit to 16-14.
• The Eagles' comeback bid faltered as Loras regained momentum and claimed the set victory after a blocking error by Benedictine, 25-21.
• Loras limited the Benedictine attack, which posted a .500 attacking percentage in the first frame, to a .000 clip (10 K, 10 E) in set two.
• Set three was again evenly distributed from the outset as the score was tied at 6-6.
• The Eagles built a three-point lead at 9-6 thanks to back-to-back-to-back kills.
• Benedictine stretched their lead to five at 16-11, forcing a timeout from head coach Jeremy Thornburg.
• Loras battled back after the timeout, but struggled to swing the momentum in their favor for good.
• A Loras overpass and resulting Benedictine kill capped set three and gave the Eagles a 2-1 advantage in the match.
• Set four was more of the same for both squads early on as a Jimmy Combs block gave Loras the lead midway through the set at 10-9.
• With both teams trading leads for much of the set, the Duhawks benefited from a solo block and kill from freshman Alfredo Lopez to give Loras a 19-16 lead.
• Benedictine responded with a 8-3 run to push the set to 24-22 in their favor.
• Combs' nine blocks set a new career-high for the Penfield, N.Y. native, while also setting a new school record.
• Ross' six blocks set a new career-high and puts him fourth all-time for blocks in a match
• Freshman Ryan Galvan posted a season and career-high 13 kills on Friday night, hitting .273 in the process.
• Freshman Alfredo Lopez continued his strong play from the outside, recording a season-best 11 kills and a .391 attack percentage. His two assisted blocks also tied a season-best.

UP NEXT
Loras returns to the court on Saturday afternoon with a MCVL showdown with 12th-ranked Dominican. The Stars topped No. 4 UC Santa Cruz in straight sets, hitting a season's-best .388 attack percentage as a team.