Contact: Emily Adlfinger, Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7970

Mar. 11, 2020 – The Loras College men's volleyball team (9-7, 3-3 CCIW) put up a close first set against College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) rival RV North Central College (12-6, 5-1 CCIW) on Wednesday, but the Duhawks could not find that same rhythm in the second and third sets, falling in three to the Cardinals.

In traditional fashion, both teams played it close to start the match after Ian Walsh and Max Ellenbecker teamed up at the net for a block to open the set and Dorian Fiorenza tallied a kill alongside Ellenbecker and Walsh to take a 4-3 lead. Andres Martinez and Ellenbecker came up with a block for Loras yet again but four costly errors by the Duhawks helped North Central take back the lead, 8-5. Loras came back again with a service ace by Joe Horn and another block by Walsh and Ellenbecker to lead 12-11 until North Central built momentum and grew a 22-16 lead. Loras was able to force its opponent to give up two errors and Fiorenza came in with a pair of kills to cut North Central's lead, 22-19, but the Cardinals held on for the 25-22 win to start the match, 1-0.

North Central opened up the second set with a 7-3 lead but it wasn't long before the Duhawks were back in it and within one point of the Cardinals thanks to a kill from Martinez and a block by him and Horn. Two kills by Fiorenza tied the score, 9-9, but North Central took the lead again and pulled ahead 16-12 until a kill from Horn and a service ace from Patrick Hollander put Loras within three. The Cardinals slowly crept closer to set point despite a kill from Fiorenza and ace by Horn and took the second set by a score of 25-20.

Fiorenza opened the third set with three kills to own a 3-2 lead against North Central, but the Cardinals fired back with six straight points to take an 11-4 lead and force the Duhawks to stage a significant comeback. Kills from Fiorenza, Filotto and Walsh and a block from Walsh and Martinez helped Loras edge closer to the Cardinals' lead, but soon North Central pulled ahead 22-12 and started to close the door on the Duhawks. Filotto stopped the momentum with a kill but it was short lived as North Central hammed in three points to win the set, 25-13.

Fiorenza tied the single-match record for kills in a three set match with 18 while Martinez was big for the Duhawks at the net with five blocks. Horn had seven digs and 21 assists.

Loras' next match is set for Saturday, Mar. 14 when the Duhawks travel to Greenville, Ill. to face the Panthers for the second time this season. First serve is set for 3 P.M.