CHICAGO, Ill. – Lewis University's fifth ranked men's volleyball team won a five-set thriller at No. 10 Loyola Chicago at the Alfie Norville Facility on Friday evening in Chicago, Ill. The Flyers finish the regular season with a record of 17-2 overall and 12-2 in the MIVA while the Ramblers are 13-5, 9-5 MIVA.

Lewis will be the top seed in the next week's MIVA Tournament and will take on either Quincy or Lindenwood in the quarterfinal match which is scheduled to begin next Saturday (April 10). Final pairings will be announced on Saturday evening following the completion of the final three matches of the regular season.

The Flyers got off to a slow start on Friday evening trailing by as many as five points in the opening set but made a late rally to get within 23-22 on a kill from Ryan Coenen (Franklin, WI/Franklin). However, the Ramblers scored the final two points of the set to win 25-22.

The second stanza saw 11 ties and two lead changes as the two sides went back-and-forth. Lewis led by as many as four in the set, but Loyola made a late run to tie the set at 21 on a kill from Luke Denton. Back-to-back kills from Kevin Kauling (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) put the Flyers up 23-21, but the Ramblers wouldn't go away as Devin Joslyn knocked down a kill to make it 24-23. Lewis was able to close it out though as Denton was called for a net violation on an attack attempt from Coenen at set point to give the Flyers a 25-23 win and even the match at a set apiece.

Lewis trailed for the majority of set three and were down by as many as six in the frame. LUC made a late run to take a 24-20 lead and had four chances to close out the set, but the Flyers said not so fast closing the set scoring six straight points to win 26-24 and take the 2-1 lead in the match. Coenen came up big down the stretch in the stanza scoring Lewis' final four points.

The fourth set belonged to the Ramblers as they raced out to an early six-point lead and never let the Flyers get closer than three points the rest of the frame on its way to the 25-18 victory to force a fifth and deciding set.

The Flyers used an 8-1 run early in set five to break a 2-2 tie and wouldn't look back. Loyola Chicago closed to within five but would get no closer as Lewis scored five of the final eight points of the set to win 15-8 and secure the victory.

Coenen finished with a career and match-high 25 kills to lead four Lewis players in double figures in kills. He was joined by Kyle Bugee (Cupertino, Calif./Homestead) with 15 kills while Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS) and TJ Murray (Barrington, Ill./Barrington HS) had 10 kills apiece. Kauling finished with 55 assists and Coenen had 15 digs while Bugee recorded his second double-double of the weekend with 11 digs to go along with his 15 kills.

The Flyers finished the match with an attack percentage of .327 registering 69 kills against 16 errors in 162 chances.

The Ramblers hit .290 for the contest with 68 kills against 21 errors in 162 swings. Denton led LUC with 22 kills while Cole Schlothauer added 20 kills and Joslyn had 11 kills. Garrett Zolg matched Kauling with 55 digs and had a match-high 17 digs.