Oct. 9, 2000

Box Score

Burbank, Ill. - The UIC volleyball team overcame a two-game deficit on Monday afternoon as they rallied to defeat Bradley 4-15, 13-15, 15-9, 15-10, 15-13, in front of a supportive crowd at Queen of Peace High School in Burbank, Ill.

"It was typical UIC, Bradley volleyball," Head Coach Don August commented after the match. "The last three years we've gone five games with Bradley with the fifth game being tightly contested. This was a huge win for. We needed to beat a good team and we needed to snap our losing streak before heading into a big weekend for us."

The Flames' triumph snapped their brief two-game losing streak as they improved to 13-4 on the season. The victory also gives UIC much-needed momentum heading into a tough conference road weekend that includes trips to Wright State and Butler. Bradley fell to 10-6 with the loss.

The sister duo of Lynn and Lara Clarkson combined to pace UIC to victory. Lara Clarkson had nine of her 13 kills in the last three games for the Flames while also adding five digs and four blocks. Lynn led the team with 16 digs and a career-best 10 blocks, including four in the decisive fifth game. All in all, the tandem combined for 29 kills, 14 blocks and five digs.

UIC's freshmen duo of Lindsey Filkins and Teaha Shepperd were just as impressive as Filkins tabbed a team-high 16 kills and three service aces to go with eight digs while Shepperd registered 15 kills, eight digs, four blocks and three aces.

Playing in front of their former home fans, Queen of Peace alumni Erica Anderson (61 assists, 8 digs, 3 blocks, 2 aces) and Ann Hintz (11 digs) also showed well in the win.

Bradley was led by Markia Giguere, who totaled 13 kills and 15 digs.

The Braves controlled the game early on as they dominated game one, hitting .391 (11-2-23) while UIC's -.030 attack percentage led to Bradley's 15-4 first frame win. Game two was a little more tightly contested, but Laura Benzing pounded down six of her team-high 14 kills in the stanza to help the Braves edge the Flames 15-13.

Behind six kills from Lynn Clarkson and four kills apiece from Shepperd and Filkins UIC got back in the match as they took game four 15-9. The Flames then used their best hitting game in the match (.316) as they even the contest 2-2 with a 15-10 game-four triumph. Lara Clarkson led UIC in the stanza with six kills while Anderson dished out 17 assists.

In the rally scoring fifth game, August's crew jumped out to a 7-2 advantage behind three blocks and a kill from Lynn Clarkson, a kill from Lara Clarkson and three Bradley attack errors. The Flames would go on to a 12-6 lead, before the Braves went on a 7-1 run to even the game at 13-13. UIC would get a clutch kill from sophomore Gina Caneva and another block from Lynn Clarkson as they closed out the frame and the match 15-13.

UIC hits the road this weekend as they take their 2-2 MCC record to Wright State on Friday, Oct. 13, at 6:00 p.m., and Butler on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 4:00 p.m.