Press Conference Quotes

STANFORD, Calif. – Top seeded Lewis men's volleyball fell 3-2 (21-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-27, 23-21) to third seeded Loyola on Saturday (May 9) evening in the 2015 NCAA National Championship. The contest featured a dramatic fifth set where both teams earned several match points.

The match was the third contest in NCAA Championship history to go to extra points in the fifth game. The 16-point overtime is the longest fifth-set in NCAA Tournament history.

The win gives Loyola their second consecutive NCAA National Championship.

Lewis had to rally in the fourth and fifth sets. In the fourth Lewis denied two Loyola championship points before a triple block put Lewis up 26-25. Senior Geoff Powell (Claremont, Calif./Claremont) went back on the next serve and delivered an ace to give the fourth set to Lewis 27-25.

The frantic fifth set had 12 ties and eight lead changes, the most of any of the five games. Lewis led 6-4 before the Ramblers scored four straight points. Loyola held this lead until 14-11. But the match wasn't over yet.  Four straight Lewis points gave the Flyers championship point at 15-14. Loyola denied it, and did the same at 19-18 and 21-20. A kill by Loyola's Cody Caldwell tied the score at 21. Back-to-back blocks by Loyola followed, to give the match and the title to the Ramblers.

"I think we gave you a match to remember for a long, long time in terms of just atmosphere and energy," Lewis head men's volleyball coach Dan Friend said. "It'll be a fun one to go back and talk about.

"I'm really proud of my guys and the heart that they showed (tonight)," Friend continued. "I think maybe we didn't play as clean as we wanted to, but we found ways to scrap it out and put ourselves in a position to swing for the win and I can't ask for anything else.

"They left everything out on that floor in terms of just team, heart, dedication, effort and attitude."

Senior Greg Petty (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) finished with a match-high 23 kills with 12 digs. Powell added 20 kills. Senior libero Lucas Yanez (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) had a match-high 15 digs.

The difference in the game came at the net. The Ramblers out-blocked the Flyers 20.5 to 13.5. It helped Loyola out-hit Lewis .260 to .219.

Following the match, both Petty and Powell were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Lewis ends the 2015 campaign 27-4. Loyola improves to 28-3 with the win. The match was played at Maples Pavilion on the campus of host Stanford University.