Oct. 6, 2010
Box Score
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CHICAGO - In a match that adopted the look of a heavyweight prize fight as time wore on, the UIC volleyball team emerged victorious after five grueling sets over the visiting Green Bay Phoenix on Wednesday night, 3-2 (21-25, 25-20, 25-14, 20-25, 17-15).
The two familiar foes traded blows through the first four sets with the Phoenix (6-13, 2-4 Horizon League) drawing first blood in the opening set before a solid counterpunch went the way of the Flames (9-9, 4-4 Horizon League) in sets two and three. Green Bay captured the fourth set on the heels of a match-high 18 kills which set up the decisive fifth frame.
UIC looked poised to deliver a knockout blow after building a quick 10-4 advantage in the final frame. The Phoenix scored two quick points to make it 10-6 which prompted Flames head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley to call a timeout. The break didn't slow Green Bay down as they were able to keep clawing their way all the way back to tie the match at 12 all following a kill by Carmen Leitermann who led all players with 16 in the match.
The Phoenix led 14-13 and had a chance bury UIC, but the Green Bat serve sailed over the end line and gave the Flames new life. After another kill by Leitermann to take a one-point lead, the Phoenix had another chance, but another service error, this time a ball into the net knotted the score at 15 apiece.
With freshman MaryKate Imrie serving and an important Horizon League match on the line, UIC dug deep and played rock solid defense to set up back-to-back kills by sophomore Kelsey Safranek off assists from senior Jessica Dalke to finally end the battle in favor of the home team.
"It was a total team effort," said Schumacher-Cawley. "We stuck together and buckled down, kept the ball in play at the end and won because of our defense."
The Flames hit .556 in the fifth set with 11 kills and just one error in 18 attempts.
"We stayed confident the whole," said redshirt freshman Aubrey Sniegowski. "We knew we could pull it off with a total team effort and that's what we did."
The Flames hung tough all night long on the strength of their defense which amassed 11 blocks which tied a season-high and 78 digs, the most since an opening-night victory over DePaul. On the other side of the net, Green Bay chalked up 75 digs and seven blocks of their own. Libero Brittany Groth led all players with 24 digs in the match.
Dalke recorded a double-double in the second straight match, her sixth of the season. The team captain had a season-high 20 digs to go along with 49 assists. Three other Flames recorded double-digit digs including Casie Sullivan and Safranek who had 10 apiece and freshman Justine Garcia who notched 17 off the bench.
Offensively, Safranek led the UIC with 14 kills, while Janise Dismuke and Sniegowski each had 13. Dismuke hit at a team-high clip of .444 (13-1-27), while 13 kills marks a career high for Sniegowski.
"Aubrey played hard all night," said Schumacher-Cawley. "She took some big swings for us and had one of her best attacking efforts of the season."
The Lemont, Ill. native was quick to point out after the match that she enjoyed high numbers because her teammates were sticking together and playing their best, as well.
"Everyone was doing their job and the passes were there for me all night," said Sniegowski. "Coach [Schumacher-Cawley] kept reminding me to swing fast, stay high and stay positive."
UIC will take a quick break from Horizon League action this weekend when they travel to Saint Louis on Saturday Oct. 9 for a match against the Billikens at 4 p.m. The Flames will be back in Chicago on Monday night for another non-conference clash against in-state rival Eastern Illinois at 7 p.m.
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