SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Loras College men's volleyball team posted a 3-1 record at the Springfield Showcase hosted by Wittenberg University this past Friday and Saturday.
The Duhawks took down the Illinois Institute of Technology in four sets in their opening match, before sweeping Bridgewater College in the nightcap. Loras began day two of the tournament by defeating the host in four sets, before falling 3-2 to No. 5-ranked Southern Virginia University.
Loras 3, Illinois Tech 1
Game Facts
- The first set was back-and-forth until a kill by Bo Brainerd III gave Loras an 8-7 lead. The Duhawks used a 9-2 run to hold a 17-9 lead midway through the set. A Connor Jaral kill sealed the 25-17 set one win for Loras.
- The Duhawks raced out to a 5-0 lead to begin set two. Loras held the Scarlet Hawks to single digits for much of the set before a 4-0 run by Illinois Tech made the score 23-12. The Purple and Gold took a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-13 set two win.
- The third set consisted of eight ties with Illinois Tech taking the lead for the final time of the set following a service ace from Sebastian Dominguez. The Scarlet Hawks forced a fourth set with a 25-23 set three win.
- Loras led by as many as eight points (13-5) en route to a 25-18 set four win.
- Roman Rothermel: 15 kills, 6 blocks
- Evan Dziadkowiec: 41 assists
- Brady Oberfoell: 9 digs, 4 assists
Loras 3, Bridgewater 0
Game Facts
- The Duhawks got things started with a kill from Anthony Schwarz. Back-to-back attack errors by the Eagles gave the Duhawks a 6-4 lead. A block by Schwarz and James Pirocanac secured the 25-17 set one win for Loras.
- Loras went on a five-point run to start the game. The Duhawks stayed ahead the entire game, closing the set out with eight straight points. The Purple and Gold grabbed a 25-14 set two win following a kill from Jacob Strahan.
- Once again, the Duhawks began the third set with a three-point run, which was started by another kill from Schwarz. A seven-point run gave the Duhawks a 16-3 advantage. A block from Lucas Eckrose and Pirocanac sealed the sweep for the Duhawks, taking set three, 25-9.
- James Pirocanac: 9 kills, 3 blocks,
- Alejandro Burns: 24 assists
- Brady Oberfoell: 10 digs
Loras 3, Wittenberg 1
Game Facts
- The first set consisted of two runs of three, both together had two kills by Jaral and an ace by Evan Dziadkowiec, and another by Elijah Passey. Wittenberg took set one 25-20.
- In the second set, Loras went on a five-point run, making the score 15-12. Loras continued to keep the lead until a tie at 22-22. Back-to-back attack errors by the Tigers gave the Duhawks a 29-27 set two win.
- Pirocanac led the Duhawks on a five-point run with back-to-back kills and ended with a kill by Passey. The two teams fought back-and-forth until Passey put down another kill to put Loras ahead, 32-31. The set ended on an error by the Tigers which gave Loras the 33-31 set three win.
- A close fourth set featured 14 ties until a Passey kill broke the final tie at 23-23. The Duhawks took set four, 25-23.
- Roman Rothermel: 16 kills
- Evan Dziadkowiec: 47 assists, 12 digs, 3 aces
- Brady Oberfoell: 19 digs
Southern Virginia 3, Loras 2
Game Facts
- Roman Rothermel started off the first set with a kill that was assisted by Dziadkowiec who then followed with a service ace. The two teams battled back-and-forth with Brainerd breaking the 11th tie at 16-16 with a kill. Passey put down the final kill of the opening set to give the Duhawks a 25-22 set one win.
- Southern Virginia led from wire-to-wire in the second set, withstanding the Duhawks' comeback attempts. The Knights evened the match to one set apiece with a 25-21 win in set two.
- Loras erased a 16-13 deficit with 6-0 run to take a 19-16 lead in set three. The Duhawks scored four out of the final five points in the set to take the set 25-20.
- The fourth set brought more action with a total of 10 ties. A kill from Brainerd put the Duhawks in front, 27-26, but the Knights responded with three-straight points to take the set 29-27.
- The Duhawks and the Knights kept it close to start with ties at 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3. Southern Virginia broke the final tie with a kill from Brady Dastrup. The Knights outscored the Duhawks 11-4 over the remainder of the fifth set to take the match, 3-2.
- Connor Jaral: 15 kills, 5 digs, 3 aces
- Roman Rothermel: 14 kills
- Evan Dziadkowiec: 44 assists, 2 aces
Up Next: The Duhawks travel to Aurora, Ill. on Friday, Feb. 13 to take on the Aurora University Spartans. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Thornton Gymnasium.
