UIC 3, Wright State 1 C.J. McLin Gymnasium • Dayton, Ohio. • Attendance: 487 Box Score | Box Score

DAYTON, Ohio -- UIC started Horizon League play on the right note Friday night with an impressive 3-1 (25-20, 25-16, 28-30, 25-22) win away from home over Wright State.

UIC (7-7, 1-0 Horizon League) won the opening set 25-20 before taking a 2-0 lead for the match with a dominant 25-16 win in the second. The Flames dropped a tight third game, 30-28, but they took care of business in set four with a 25-22 victory to pick up a coveted road win to ignite conference play. Wright State fell to 11-5 and 0-1 in league matches.

"Any time that you can pick up a conference game away from home, you're thrilled," said UIC head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley. "Wright State has had a great season so far and we knew we were going to be tested by them all night long. We were able to rise to the challenge and fight to get back on track."

The match featured 26 tie scores and at least five in each game. It also saw nine lead changes, however the Flames never trailed in the second stanza.

WSU entered the match leading the Horizon League in opponent's hitting percentage (.176), but the Flames hit .268 as a team Friday night with 61 kills. It marks the fourth time this season that UIC notched 60-or-more kills and the third time in the last five matches. UIC setter Nicole Johnson was instrumental in running a balanced offensive attack as she helped five different attackers post at least seven kills in the win. She notched 53 assists on the night.

Senior Stephenee Yancy buried a match-high 20 kills for the Flames at a clip of .385 (20k-5e-39ta). It marked the fourth time this season that the Aroma Park, Ill., native connected for at least 20 terminations. Joining Yancy in double figures were junior Alyssa Ehrhardt with 15 kills and classmate Kara Johnson, who added 11. Casey Harris chipped in with seven kills on 10 swings with only one miscue and Kyisha Hunt clubbed eight kills at a mark of .357.

Ehhardt and libero Bridget Powell each recorded a match-high 17 digs. For Ehrhardt, that meant she achieved her team-best fifth double-double of the season. She also posted two service aces in the win. Tracy Friel also bolstered the back row with 11 digs against the Raiders.

The Flames secured double-digit blocks for only the third time this season as they stuffed 10 WSU attempts. Yancy led the squad with six, while Hunt added five and Harris picked up four.

UIC will finish the weekend on Saturday afternoon with another conference clash against league newcomer Northern Kentucky. The Norse fell in their first-ever Horizon League match Friday night, losing to Valparaiso, 3-1 (25-15, 32-30, 20-25, 25-23). Saturday's first serve is set for 2 p.m. CDT and it can be seen live on ESPN3.com.