Oct. 18, 2012

CHICAGO - The UIC volleyball team (12-10/5-2 Horizon) faces Wright State (2-22/0-7 Horizon) Friday at 6:00 p.m. (CT) in Dayton, Ohio, followed by Valparaiso (13-9/5-2 Horizon) Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in Valparaiso, Ind.

SCOUTING THE FLAMES UIC (12-10/5-2 Horizon League) ... Kelsey Safranek leads the team with 256 kills on the season, trailed closely by Aubrey Sniegowski with 233 (.264) … Janise Dismuke has 87 blocks, followed by Sara Sternard at 60 … Maggie Strus has earned 397 digs … MaryKate Imrie has dished out 906 assists.

SCOUTING THE RAIDERS Wright State (2-22/0-7 Horizon League) … the Raiders are on a seven-match losing streak, all against conference teams, including UIC … Heidi Splinter dominates the squad in kills with 271, followed by Marisa Aiello with 183 (.219) … Ashleigh Luuco has dished out 719 assists … Katie Glassmeyer exceeds the team in digs with 353.

SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS Valparaiso (13-9/5-2 Horizon League) ... the Crusaders have won three of their last four matches … the team defeated Milwaukee (3-2), Green Bay (3-0), Youngstown State (3-1) and dropped to Cleveland State (3-2) … Ellen Vanden Berg paces the team with 214 kills, followed closely by Morgan Beil … Taylor Root leads defensively with 466 digs … Vanden Berg has collected 71 blocks.

UIC VS. WRIGHT STATE (2012) The Flames downed Wright State, 3-1 (25-10, 25-12, 20-25, 25-6) on Sept. 22 inside the Flames Athletic Center … Dismuke posted 17 kills at .762 … she also chipped in on six blocks … three UIC members collected double-digit kills … Safranek had 20 (.318), followed by Sniegowski with 18 (.515) and Sternard with 11 at .526.

UIC VS. VALPARAISO (2012) UIC defeated Valparaiso, 3-1 (25-20, 21-25, 26-24, 26-24) for its first time in the past nine meetings on Sept. 21 inside the Flames Athletic Center … Safranek and Molly McCoy had 17 kills apiece … Sternard posted an additional 11 kills in the victory.

DISMUKE; DOWN TO BUSINESS Dismuke was selected as the Horizon League's Offensive Player of the Week for the period of Sept. 30-Oct. 7 … the middle hitter assisted her team to a 3-0 week … she posted a career-high .812 hitting percentage (13-0-16) against Eastern Illinois … collected 13 kills at .400 versus Green Bay … hit at .467 and had 18 kills in the victory over Milwaukee ... holds the two highest hitting percentages in the conference for the season … ranks second in the Horizon League in hitting percentage … named the UICFlames.com Student-Athlete of the Week for the period of Oct. 1-7 … it was her second time earning the honor … posted a hitting percentage of .400 or higher in four consecutive matches.

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD VERSUS WRIGHT STATE

Overall: 24-24

Last Meeting: September 22, 2012, Won, 3-1

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD VERSUS VALPARAISO

Overall: 23-22

Last Meeting: September 21, 2012, Won, 3-1

LAST TIME OUT UIC defeated Loyola 3-1 October 12 … three Flames members posted double-digit kills, led by Safranek with 15 … Nicole Allgood led the Flames in digs with 14 … Dismuke posted a hitting percentage of .524, going over the .400 mark for the fifth consecutive match.

UP NEXT The Flames return to the Flames Athletic Center to face Chicago State Tuesday … the team then returns to conference play against Cleveland State Oct. 26 at 7:00 p.m. and Youngstown State Oct. 27 at 4:00 p.m.