Loyola (Ill.) 3, Carthage 1

The Carthage College men's volleyball team (0-1, 0-0 Continental Volleyball Conference), ranked third in the pre-season American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll, opened its 2012 season on Tuesday, Jan. 17 with 3-1 loss to NCAA Division I Loyola University (Ill., 3-4) at the Joseph J. Gentile Arena in Chicago.  The Ramblers, ranked 14th in the Jan. 9 AVCA NCAA Divisions I-II poll, defeated the Red Men with scores of 25-19, 22-25, 25-16 and 25-22.
 
Joseph Smalzer led the Ramblers with 18 kills and a .300 attack percentage, while Eric Daliege had 13 kills with a .684 percentage, along with five block assists.  Loyola setter Matt Mirick averaged 11.75 assists per set.  Matt Yanz (Sr., Bolingbrook, Ill./Naperville-Central) had 11 kills for the Red Men  and hit. 556 with six block assists, while Randy Hansen (Sr., Oak Lawn, Ill.) collected 11 kills with a .240 attack percentage and seven block assists.  Carthage setter Connor Wexter (So., New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) averaged 9.0 assists per set.
 
The Red Men return to action at the Friday-Saturday, Jan. 27-28 Nazareth College Tournament at the
Robert A. Kidera Gymnasium in Rochester, N.Y.  On Friday, Jan. 27 Carthage plays Southern Vermont College at 4 p.m. (all times EST) and the host-Golden Flyers at 6 p.m.  On Saturday, Jan. 28, the Red Men take on Philadelphia Biblical College at 10 a.m.