Mike Bunting tallied a match-high 32 kills in the 3-2 victory over No. 1 Penn State
 
Mike Bunting tallied a match-high 32 kills in the 3-2 victory over No. 1 Penn State
 
 
Loyola Takes Down No. 1 Penn State In Five-Game Thriller

Freshman Mike Bunting tallied a career-high and match-high 32 kills in the win

Feb. 21, 2009

Box Score

CHICAGO - The Loyola men's volleyball team snapped a two-match losing streak by defeating previously unbeaten and top-ranked Penn State, 3-2 (30-24, 25-30, 25-30, 30-27, 15-9) Friday night in front of a packed crowd of over 1,500 inside cozy Alumni Gym. The Ramblers improve to 6-3 and record their first-ever victory over a top-ranked team. Loyola defeated second-ranked Hawai'i, 3-1 back in January of 2002, when current head coach Shane Davis was a junior on the squad. Penn State, the 2008 NCAA National Champion, falls to 10-1 and suffers its first loss since March 7, 2008 at George Mason, 3-1.

The Nittany Lions had lost just four games this season prior to tonight's match, and had swept their last six opponents, but it was all Loyola in the opening game. The Ramblers took the lead for good early on when a Penn State attack error gave Loyola the 3-2 advantage. Shortly after, a 3-0 Rambler run led by kills from Michael Morice and Nick Lamoureux and a Morice service ace extended the lead to 8-4. The Nittany Lions pulled within two points late in the game at 20-18, but Loyola responded with kills by Mike Bunting and Krisjanis Berzins to push the lead back to four and never allowed Penn State closer than five over the final five points. The Ramblers' out-hit the Nittany Lions .375-.115 to take the first game, 30-24.

Penn State wasted no time in the second round, racing out to a commanding 11-5 lead to set the tone for the game. Loyola was down by as much as seven, 11-18, before putting together a 5-2 run to pull within four, 20-16. Four times down the stretch, the Ramblers closed the gap to three, but at 24-21, a costly service error and attack error by Loyola extended the lead back to five and Penn State held on to even the match with the 30-25 win.

The Ramblers claimed the advantage early on in the third game, before back-to-back kills by Penn State's Max Lipsitz tied the game at 11-all. Three straight Nittany Lion attack errors followed to put the Ramblers back in front, but not for long, as Penn State again battled back to even the score at 19. The visitors took the lead briefly at 21-19, but a service error and attack error tied the game back up. Points were exchanged back and forth for the next several plays, until Penn State went on a 7-3 run to close out the game, 30-25.

Game four appeared to be heading in favor of Penn State, as the Nittany Lions built an 11-8 lead before Loyola called a timeout to talk things over. Penn State maintained the advantage over the next few plays, though the Ramblers slowly chipped away with kills by Bunting and Berzins, before Kyle Exline came off the bench to tie the game at 16 with his first service ace of the season. Neither team was able to go ahead by more than one over the next several points, but late in the game Penn State held the advantage at 27-26 before a Loyola timeout. After the break, Bunting tallied three straight kills for the Ramblers and Morice put an exclamation point on the rally with a service ace to claim the fourth game, 30-27.

The momentum carried over into the decisive fifth game, as Bunting opened with a service ace and block assists by Berzins and Lamoureux put Loyola in front 2-0. A Nittany Lion service ace eventually tied the game at four, but the Ramblers answered with a 5-0 run to all but seal the victory. Penn State came within three at 12-9, but it was too little too late. A kill by Bunting, a Nittany Lion attack error and a solo block by Berzins provided Loyola its final three points and the thrilling 15-9 win to take the match. The Ramblers out-hit Penn State .500 (6-0-12) to -.083 (4-5-12) in the final game and .417-.323 for the match.

Bunting recorded a match-high 32 kills and tied the third highest kill total for a Loyola freshman. Justin Schnor tallied 36 kills in his first season back in 2000 and Marcos Cordova posted 33 in 1996. Bunting also led the Ramblers with a season-high .529 (32-5-51) hitting percentage. Berzins added 17 kills, while Morice and Lamoureux contributed 10 each. Michael Hutz dished out a match-high 66 assists and also led the team with a season-high nine digs.

Loyola is back in action tomorrow night against non-conference opponent Saint Francis (Pa.) in a match beginning at 7 p.m. in Alumni Gym.