SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State took the first set Friday from second-place Loyola before the Ramblers rallied for a 3-1 Missouri Valley Conference victory at Hammons Student Center.

The Bears (8-20, 5-9 MVC) used a stingy defense to hold Loyola (18-8, 11-2) to .022 hitting in the first period, but the Ramblers rallied to hit .365 over the final three frames for a 24-26, 25-20, 25-20, 25-12 win.

Missouri State used an 8-1 run to lead 10-6 in the first and went ahead 17-11 on an Amelia Flynn kill before LUC used its own 8-1 spurt to go up 19-18. Laynie Dake had two kills and a block in a 4-0 run to lead 22-19, and the Ramblers tied the score twice before the Bears put it away behind five kills each from Flynn and Dake.

The Bears led 13-10 in the second period, which was tied eight times after that until Loyola closed on a 6-0 run, and the Ramblers led the third set 17-11 before their first attack error, keeping the lead above four points to the finish. Loyola's offense kicked into high gear in the fourth with 12 kills and no errors.

Dake led the Bears with 12 kills, and Flynn added 11 with 10 digs for the double-double. Chloe Rear added nine kills and 19 assists, and Gerri Idos had 14 digs. Loyola led .253-.121 in hitting percentage, 54-48 in digs and 13.5-4 in total blocks. The teams combined for 27 service errors.

Missouri State is back in action Saturday at 5 p.m. against Valparaiso (11-16, 6-7). The Crusaders won 3-2 Friday at Southern Illinois.