Sept. 16, 2005
Box Score
Chicago, Ill. - With the match knotted at a game apiece, the UIC volleyball team had leads in both game two and three slip away as Rice took the opening contest of the State Farm Illini Classic, 30-26, 23-30, 31-29, 30-22 on Friday night at Huff Hall in Champaign, Ill.
Sophomore Katarina Nedeljkovic led the Flames (3-8) with 24 kills while junior Maura McCarthy added a double-double with 17 kills and 12 digs.
Rice (7-2) was paced by a 23-kill effort from Olaya Pazo.
UIC will now play in the tournament consolation match at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow afternoon versus Eastern Illinois, which lost in five games to tournament host Illinois.
The Flames and Owls were deadlocked heading into the pivotal third game on Friday evening. UIC seemingly had control of the set, leading throughout and eventually owning game point at 29-24 following a kill by junior setter Katie Kozak.
Rice would not go away, though, rallying for seven unanswered points to clip UIC, 31-29. The Owls capitalized on four Flames attack errors during the surge and secured the set when Karyn Morgan and Jessica Holderness blocked an attack by UIC junior Ambria Springer.
In game four, the Flames, once again, owned a lead, serving at 19-16. Following a sideout, the Owls would run off 10 straight points on their next serve to take a 27-19 advantage they would not relinquish as Rice took the game, 30-22.
