Nov. 14, 2014
Box Score
CHICAGO - The UIC volleyball team used 10 blocks and five service aces to defeat Loyola Chicago (7-18) 3-1 (25-23, 18-25, 25-23, 25-18) Friday night. The Flames had three players with double-digit kills and hit .216 as a squad.
UIC (14-15, 7-6 HL) concludes the regular season Saturday (Nov. 15) by playing host to third-place Valparaiso (23-7, 8-5 HL). First serve is set for 5 p.m. inside the Flames Athletic Center. Seniors Sara Jo Sternard, Maggie Strus and Molly McCoy will be honored prior to the match.
With a victory over Valparaiso on Saturday, UIC will capture the No. 3 seed for the 2014 Horizon League Volleyball Championship. The Flames moved into fourth place Friday night when Cleveland State (14-13, 7-7 HL) defeated Youngstown State (16-13, 7-7 HL) in four sets.
UIC collected double-digit blocks for the second consecutive match and the third time in four contests. The Flames had two double-figure block performances over the first 25 matches of the season.
Sophomore Kara Johnson extended her double-digit kill streak to five matches with a team-high 14 kills on 34 attempts. She had six kills on 13 attempts in the third set victory. Johnson owns 23 double-figure performances this season.
Junior Stephenee Yancy, who ranks eighth in the nation with 487 kills, extended her double-digit streak to 29 matches with 13 kills on 36 swings. She put down four kills on eight attempts in the second set. Yancy also collected three total blocks.
McCoy collected her second double-double of the season with 11 kills and a team-high 10 digs. She had four kills on seven swings in the fourth set win. McCoy also set a career high with two service aces. She has six service aces this season after one over her first three years at UIC.
Redshirt freshman Nicole Johnson, who ranks third in the nation with 1,287 assists, dished out 43 assists to go along with two blocks and an ace. She leads the squad with 25 service aces.
Sophomore Casey Harris set a season high with six blocks, including three solos. She had three blocks in the first set win and two in the third set victory. Harris also put down three kills on eight attempts.
Strus compiled nine digs to increase her program-record total to 1,656. She passed the 400-dig mark (406) for the second time in her UIC career.
Sternard put down eight kills on 13 attempts for a strong .538 attack percentage. Sternard, who increased her career kill total to 1,010, had three kills on three attempts in the first set win. Sternard's .538 attack percentage is her third highest this season. She also collected three blocks and increased her career block total to 325, which ranks ninth in program history.
The first set featured 15 ties and four lead changes. The Ramblers tied the score at 21-21 before a McCoy kill and ace from Allie O'Reilly gave the Flames a lead they would not relinquish. UIC had six blocks and four aces in the 25-23 win.
Loyola hit at a .360 clip while forcing UIC into nine attack errors in the Ramblers' 25-18 second set win. Loyola had three blocks and two aces in the victory.
The third set was tied 23-23following an attack error on Yancy. However, Loyola hit into a service error and the Flames forced Morgan Reardon into an attack error to end the set. UIC had 15 kills and two blocks in the 25-23 win.
Loyola narrowed UIC's fourth set lead to 16-15 before a long service run by McCoy allowed the Flames to pull in front 21-16. UIC hit at a .308 clip while forcing the Ramblers into nine attack errors in the 25-18 victory.
