Nov. 12, 2010
Box Score
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Friday night's Horizon League match followed a similar script to the first showdown between the UIC volleyball team and the Green Bay in October, only this time the Phoenix emerged victorious after five games, 3-2 (22-25, 25-17, 25-13, 22-25, 15-10).
In a crucial match where both teams were battling for the fifth seed in the upcoming Horizon League Championship, UIC (13-16, 7-8 Horizon League) jumped on the Phoenix (12-18, 8-8 Horizon League) and captured the opening set, 25-22.
The momentum stalled in the second set, however, as Green Bay roared back to win in convincing fashion, 25-17. Following the break, the Flames continued to struggle both defensively and offensively, mustering just 13 points in a third-set defeat.
With their backs against the wall, UIC rallied to stay alive in the fourth set and knot the match at two to force a decisive fifth game.
In the fifth, Green Bay got off to a quick start and doubled up UIC halfway through the game, 8-4. A kill by Aubrey Sniegowski would help pull the Flames to within two at 10-8, however, that was as close as they would come to the Phoenix.
"Green Bay is playing really well," said UIC head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley. "They played great team defense tonight and forced us into making errors."
Jessica Dalke and Kate Eldred both registered career-highs with 30 and 24 digs, respectively for the Flames; libero Taylor Szatkowski tied her career-high with 23.
Kelsey Safranek led UIC with 16 kills and Janise Dismuke added 14 on a team-high attacking percentage of .333 (14-3-33). Dismuke also led the team with four blocks.
The Flames will conclude the regular season on Saturday night when they travel to face the Horizon League's top team, the Milwaukee Panthers at the Klotsche Center at 7 p.m. The match will be shown live on the Horizon League Network. UIC fell to Milwaukee in Chicago earlier this season, 3-1.
"Milwaukee is the number one team in our conference right now," said Schumacher-Cawley. "We have to regroup quickly and be ready go from the first point."
