Oct. 9, 2010
Box Score
Box Score in PDF Format 
ST. LOUIS - The UIC volleyball team dropped a tightly-contested non-conference match on the road to the Saint Louis Billikens on Saturday at Chaifetz Pavilion, 3-1 (25-20, 19-25, 25-20, 25-15).
The Flames (9-10) continued to build upon the strong defensive groundwork laid during their past few Horizon League foes, but the offensive attack failed to get on track and sputtered against the Billikens (8-9).
UIC collected 75 digs in the match to Saint Louis' 67 and 10 blocks to the Billikens' seven. On the other side of the net, Saint Louis put down 64 total kills, while the Flames managed only 9.75 per set on Saturday.
"We blocked well and played very good all-around defense," said UIC head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley.
Libero Justine Garcia recorded a match-high 21 digs for UIC on Saturday. Teammate Casie Sullivan also played well in the back row with 15 digs. Jessica Dalke and MaryKate Imrie added 12 apiece.
At the net, Janise Dismuke had seven blocks in a match for the second time, which tied a career-high. Epiphany Davis chipped in as well with three blocks for the Flames.
Receiving errors and passing struggles plagued UIC throughout the afternoon as the team accumulated eight receiving errors total for the match, including four in the third set.
The Flames also did not have a single player with a double-digit kill effort in the loss.
"Our focus on serve receive has to be much better," said Schumacher-Cawley. "We can't have those breakdowns."
UIC dropped the first set before putting forth an impressive all-around effort in the second to tie things up at one set each. The two teams were neck and neck throughout the set which featured 12 ties and four lead changes, that is until the Flames went on a quick five-point run to seal the victory.
The third set was more of the same, but this time with Saint Louis emerging victorious. With the score tied at 10, the Billikens posted an 8-2 run that gave them an 18-12 advantage that they would never relinquish.
Saint Louis appeared to be in control of the fourth set from the start. The home team racked up 17 kills and only committed three errors in the final frame for an impressive team attacking percentage of .412 en route to an easy ten-point win.
"We need to take these non-conference matches and use them to prepare us for the second half of the Horizon League schedule," said Schumacher-Cawley.
Andrea Beaty had 19 kills for the Billikens to lead all players in the match. Davis, Sullivan and Kelsey Safranek each had eight to pace UIC.
Dalke recorded her fourth straight double-double on Saturday, adding 28 assists to go along with her 12 digs. The Millstadt, Ill. native leads the Flames with seven double-doubles in 2010.
UIC will return home for another non-conference match on Monday night when the in-state rival Eastern Illinois comes to the Physical Education Building at 7 p.m. In their last matchup, the Panthers bested the Flames in Charleston, Ill. last season, 3-1.
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