Aug. 28, 2009
DEKALB, Ill.- The Flames' volleyball squad fell in its first match of the 2009 season, losing 3-0 to Stephen F. Austin in the opening game of the NIU Comfort Inn & Suites of Rochelle Invitational Friday morning.
"We played hard, we just need to be able to finish games," said UIC head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley after her head coaching debut. "Our passing and our defense was good. We have to be ready to go from the first serve."
UIC opened the match by taking a commanding lead in the first set, leading by as many as nine before surrendering the 25-23 final in the match-opener. The Flames jumped to an 18-9 lead behind four consecutive service points from Jessica Dalke and three more from Casie Sullivan.
Nicole Allgood, Janise Dismuke and Dalke all tallied three kills in the opening set, while Lana Lobdell and Sullivan each had a pair.
SFA and UIC stayed even through the beginning of the second set, with the Ladyjacks pulling away by stringing together five consecutive points to take a 17-9 lead. The Flames would answer back and push the score to 20-18, but a UIC attack error, followed by a SFA kill pushed the score back to 22-18. UIC would manage just one more point in the set and fall 25-19.
Epiphany Davis had three kills in the second set, while Sullivan and Allgood each contributed two more apiece.
The Ladyjacks pulled away around the seventh point in set three, pushing to an early 13-7 lead. After a Flames' side out, SFA got the ball back and strung together a run of four points to extend its lead to 17-8. The Ladyjacks would eventually win 25-16 to take the match.
Allgood led the Flames' offense, posting 10 kills in her UIC debut. Dalke had 16 digs in the match, while Allgood completed the double-double with 13 digs herself. Dalke also led the squad in assists, dishing out 25 on the match.
UIC continues play at Northern Illinois this evening, facing off with Western Illinois at 5:00.
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