Sept. 6, 2014

Box Score

CHICAGO - Junior Stephenee Yancy put down a career-high 27 kills and the UIC volleyball team (2-4) defeated crosstown rival DePaul by a score of 3-1 (25-13, 25-23, 25-27, 25-20) Saturday night inside the Jacoby Dickens Center. The Flames finished second at the Windy City Invitational with a 2-1 record while Syracuse (3-0) placed in first.

With the victory, UIC has won 10 out of the last 11 meetings with DePaul dating back to 2004. The Flames lead the all-time series 24-16.

Yancy was named to the All-Tournament Team after 57 kills on 99 attempts for a .404 attack percentage and 11 total blocks. She extended her double-digit kill streak to six matches and averaged 19 kills per match during the tournament.

Against DePaul, Yancy needed 39 attempts to record 27 kills and only committed four attack errors for a season-high .590 attack percentage. She put down seven kills in each of the first three sets and six on eight attempts in the final frame. Yancy also contributed three blocks while the Flames had nine as a team.

Senior Sara Jo Sternard was also strong in the middle of the net as she added 17 kills on 41 attempts, four blocks and two service aces. She averaged 15.3 kills with a .419 attack percentage during the tournament. Sternard and Yancy combined for 24 blocks at the Windy City Invitational.

Sophomore Kara Johnson had 11 kills and 13 digs for her second straight double-double and third of the season. Senior Molly McCoy (nine kills) and freshman Kyisha Hunt (five kills and five blocks) were also productive at the net as the Flames hit at a .269 clip against the Blue Demons.

Redshirt freshman Nicole Johnson had 60 assists, nine digs, two blocks and two kills in her second straight match with at least 60 assists. She has nine kills on 16 attempts this season for an impressive .438 attack percentage.

Senior Maggie Strus compiled a match-high 20 digs and now owns 1,339 career digs. She needs 24 more digs to pass Ilene O'Connell (1982-85) for fifth place in program history. Strus has two efforts of at least 20 digs this season as the other came against Eastern Michigan.

Redshirt junior Tracy Friel (17 digs) extended her double-digit dig streak to six contests and freshman Allie O'Reilly (10 digs) picked up her second double-digit effort of the season. UIC had 79 digs as a team and has already compiled at least 70 digs three times this season after only three such performances during the entire 2013 campaign.

UIC never trailed in the first set victory as the Flames limited DePaul to five kills and a -.059 attack percentage. The second set was tied at 15-15 before three consecutive kills by Yancy finally gave UIC the advantage.

Back-to-back kills by Saige Gallop and Myah Reed gave DePaul a narrow third set win after the score was tied 25-25. The Blue Demons fought back to tie the fourth set at 17-17 before a 4-0 run with Nicole Johnson serving allowed the Flames to pull away for good.

UIC quickly returns to action on Tuesday (Sept. 9) as the Flames make the two-hour trip south to play at Illinois State (3-3). UIC and ISU have met ten times, most recently at the 2008 Chicago Classic. First serve is set for 6 pm from inside Redbird Arena.