Nov. 10, 2012

Box Score

Interview with Coach Schumacher-Cawley

Senior Awards

CHICAGO -The UIC volleyball team (18-12/10-4 Horizon League) capped its season regular season off with a 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 26-24, 15) rally over Loyola Saturday inside the Flames Athletic Center. The victory secures UIC as the No. 2 seed at the Horizon League Championship.

"I am so happy for this team," head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley said. "They have worked hard, and I think they deserve it. I think they gutted out some big points tonight, and it was nice for the seniors to win their final match at home. I challenged them (the seniors) early in the season, and I think they stepped up to the plate, and all did their part tonight."

In a match that honored UIC's five senior members, each veteran contributed in the victory over the Ramblers. Kelsey Safranek captured a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs. Aubrey Sniegowski led the Flames in kills with 15 at a .406 clip, while chipping in on five block assists. Janise Dismuke hammered down eight kills and claimed three block assists. Nicole Allgood had 12 kills and seven digs. Jacqueline Lang posted two service aces for the Flames.

MaryKate Imrie led all players in assists with 56. Maggie Strus and Justine Garcia proved to be solid defensively as the duo claimed 19 and 17 digs, respectively. Sara Sternard posted the highest hitting percentage of the match and a career-high at .684 with 13 kills.

UIC opened the first set with a 25-22 loss, before claiming a convincing 25-19 win in the second frame to tie the match at 1-1. The victory was highlighted by an eight point run, where Lang held serve and led the UIC team to a 14-10 lead. UIC was able to maintain control of the set and put the Ramblers away 25-19.

Coming back from the break, Loyola outlasted the Flames 27-25, before UIC captured back-to-back wins in the fourth and deciding sets. In the fourth frame, UIC opened with a 4-0 lead, and the two foes traded points through the duration of the set, before Dismuke and Sniegowski posted a block assist to win 26-24 and tie the match at 2-2.

In the final game, the Flames posted a six-point run, where Garcia held serve and collected a service ace. The run gave UIC a 13-6 advantage, and the Flames capped off the match with a 15-8 victory in the deciding set and a 3-2 win in the match.

With the win, UIC secured the No. 2 seed in the Horizon League Championship, which will take place in Cleveland, Ohio. Check back to UICFlames.com for a complete preview of the Horizon League Tournament.