Sept. 30, 2010
CHICAGO - Following a five-match homestand that wrapped up with a win over cross-town rival Loyola last Saturday, the UIC volleyball team will hit the road this weekend for a pair of Horizon League matches on Friday and Saturday.
The trip begins on Friday night in Ohio when the Flames (7-7, 2-2 Horizon League) visit Wright State (6-9, 1-2 Horizon League) for a showdown with the Raiders at 6 p.m. CT. After quick turnaround, UIC will head back west when they invade Indianapolis for a match against Butler (8-6, 3-0 Horizon League) at 3 p.m. CT.
While some teams may prefer the comforts of home, the Flames have fared as well away from Chicago this season, posting a record of 4-2 in true road matches or neutral site contests.
In Wright State, UIC will face a team performs well both offensively and defensively on the court. The Raiders rank third in the Horizon League in service aces with 1.31 per set in 2010. Freshman Heidi Splinter ranks second in the conference with 0.31 per set (18 total), while teammate Jessica Woods is currently fifth with 0.29 per set (17 total). Head coach Trina Smith's bunch ranks second in the conference with 16.33 digs per set. Woods is among the league leaders in that category, ranking fifth with 4.05 per set.
Butler is currently one of two undefeated teams in conference matches, joining Milwaukee in that category. The Bulldogs have won four straight matches and six of their last seven. Butler is led by senior hitter Jessica Wolfe who currently leads the Horizon League in both kills (3.91 per set) and points (4.33 per set).
The match against Butler can be seen live on the Horizon League Network.
"We have a big challenge ahead of us in these matches," said UIC head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley. "Wright does a lot of things very well and Butler's record in conference speaks for itself. For us to do well, we need our seniors to step up and continue to play well as an entire team."
Following the brief two-game trip, UIC will return home to host a rarity, two midweek conference matches when Milwaukee (Oct. 5) and Green Bay (Oct. 6) come down I-94. Both matches will be played in the UIC Physical Education Building and begin at 7 p.m.
Fans can listen to podcasts featuring exclusive interviews with UIC head coaches, staff and student-athletes for free on iTunes by searching "UIC Flames."
Fans wishing to learn more about affordable and flexible UIC ticket plans are encouraged to call 312-413-UIC1 or visit www.uicflames.com and click on the "Tickets" tab on the Flames home page.
