Box Score

DENVER -- UIC withstood a late charge by Abilene Christian University to brush past the Wildcats and earn a first victory at the Denver Invitational Saturday, 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 19-25, 26-24).

Senior Stephenee Yancy turned in another dominant performance for the Flames Saturday. The middle blocker pounded down a season-high 26 kills in the four-set victory. That was one shy of her career-best effort and the second-best output for any Horizon League player in a four-set match this season. Yancy also stood out on the defensive side with a team-high six blocks for UIC.

UIC junior Kara Johnson also added 12 kills against the Wildcats, while sophomore Kyisha Hunt added nine and four blocks. Defensively, libero Bridget Powell (20) and defensive specialist Tracy Friel (16) posted season highs in digs, while setter Nicole Johnson matched her best effort with 14 digs. The sophomore handed out 55 assists in the victory to notch her fourth double-double of the season.

In the opening set, the Flames were up a point, 15-14, before a kill by Yancy ignited a 5-1 run that put the team in the driver's seat. Later, a kill from Hunt gave the Flames a chance to win with a 24-20 lead, but a rarer Yancy attacking error kept the Wildcats alive. The Aroma Park, Ill., native quickly rebounded, however, and buried a feed from Nicole Johnson to collect a 25-21 triumph for her team.

Abilene Christian built up a slim 8-4 lead in the second stanza, but after a couple of kills from Kara Johnson, freshman Haley Sullivan stepped up to serve and soon the Flames had evened the score at 10-10. After nabbing an 11-10 lead on a block by Hunt and Yancy, UIC would never trail again in the game before they finished a 25-19 victory.

The Wildcats were finally able to pick up a game with a 25-19 win in the third set, slicing the overall deficit to 2-1. Abilene Christian hit .412 in the third game with 15 kills and only one error in 34 attempts. They also had three blocks, while the Flames could not help themselves thanks to six attacking errors and two more from the service line.

The fourth game was perhaps the tightest of the quartet with 10 tie scores and five lead changes. Nearing the conclusion, ACU had a chance to even the match at two sets apiece with a 24-23 lead after a kill from Jacey Smith. Yancy was quick to answer, however, as she delivered the equalizer with an assist from Friel. Hunt and Casey Harris then teamed up for an assisted block to give UIC a 25-24 lead, then Hunt delivered the match-winning kill to end the match.

UIC had a match-high 19 kills in the fourth set, including seven from Yancy, four from Hunt and three from Harris. Nicole Johnson registered 16 assists as the Flames hit .250 in the stanza.

Sullivan tallied an ace and a dig in her collegiate debut Saturday. Classmate Carla Salvato also picked up three digs for the Flames.

UIC will conclude the Denver Invitational this evening at 6 p.m. against Montana. It will be the first meeting between the two squads.