CHICAGO -- Missouri State extended its winning streak to 12 consecutive matches Sunday and stayed atop the Missouri Valley Conference volleyball standings with a 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-16) sweep of Loyola at Gentile Arena.

The Bears (21-7, 12-2 MVC) are on their longest winning streak since the 2003 team won 18 consecutive matches, 15 of which were in league play. Loyola dropped to 12-16 and 7-8 in conference play while holding on to the sixth and final spot in the MVC Tournament.

The first set was tight until the halfway mark, with neither team leading by more than two points until the Bears used an 8-0 run with four kills and four Loyola errors to grab a 23-14 advantage before siding out for the win.

The Ramblers went up 7-4 in the second set and the Bears earned their first lead when Lily Johnson had two kills during a 3-0 run for a 12-11 score. Four Bears scored in a 4-0 run to push the lead to 16-13, and Johnson, Daniele Messa and Lynsey Wright strung together consecutive kills to make it 19-15. MSU kept its lead above three points from there and hit .385 in the set.

Missouri State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third period, went up 15-7 on LUC's seventh attack error, and led 18-8 on a Simone House kill before the Ramblers rallied to close the gap to 19-14. A block by Wright and Lauren Boone stopped the LUC run, and the Bears scored six of the final eight points to complete the sweep.

Johnson led all players with 18 kills on .357 hitting, and senior House added eight kills on 12 swings without and error. The Bears hit .309 as a team with 38 kills and eight errors, and limited the Ramblers to a .108 attack efficiency.

Emily Butters recorded a match-high 19 digs, Johnson added 11 for her 19th double-double of the year, and Messa had 10 to go with 32 assists and two aces. Wright contributed to four of MSU's seven blocks.

MSU plays its final two home matches later this week, taking on Indiana State at 7 p.m. Friday and Illinois State at 7 p.m. Saturday inside Hammons Student Center.