Sept. 15, 2006
Box Score
Chicago, Ill. - After a long fought battle against Western Illinois (3-8), the Flames (5-8) dropped the Westerwinds in four games (31-33, 30-17, 30-27, 30-28) Friday night in the UIC Invitational. Recording 20 kills, senior Ambria Springer picked up a season-high, while leading the Flames with seven blocks in the win.
Not only did Katie Kozak guide UIC on defense with 22 digs, the senior setter captured second place (3,679) in the UIC career records book after recording 50 assists versus Western Illinois.
Freshman Lana Lobdell and Sophomore Christin Hunt each recorded career-highs with 12 kills a piece and junior Katarina Nedeljkovic earned her 20th career double-double with 12 kills and 12 digs. Posting a .417 attack percentage, Hunt also picked up a career- and team-high versus the Westerwinds.
Despite leading Western Illinois 13-9, WIU inched its way back into game one. After tying it at 22-22, the teams knotted it eight timed before the Westerwinds earned the 33-31 win on a kill by Amy Sauerwein and a service ace from Elise Crnjak.
Trailing 1-0, the Flames fired back with a .314 attack percentage in game two. Recording six blocks, UIC held Western Illinois to a negative attack percentage (-.029). The Flames only allowed WIU to notch six kills and forced the team to commit seven errors for the 30-17 victory.
With the matched knotted at 1-1, the Flames jumped ahead with a 24-19 lead in game three. Western Illinois then sparked a 5-1 run to tie it at 25-25, but UIC turned up the heat to take the 2-1 advantage (30-27).
Only one win from clinching the match, the Flames were one step ahead of Western Illinois in game four. The Westerwinds posted a late run to only trail by one (29-28), but UIC captured match-point for the victory (30-28).
The Flames look to pick up their second straight victory on Saturday when they battle North Texas at 11:00 a.m., followed by a matchup against Western Michigan at 7:00 p.m. to wrap up UIC Invitational action.
