HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The UIC women's volleyball team took a 3-0 (22-25, 18-25, 19-25) loss to Northern Kentucky Saturday afternoon in NKU's Regents Hall.

Graduate Transfer Kelsie Groot recorded a hitting percentage of .306 (12k-1e-36a), her highest mark since Sept. 20 against Chicago State. The outside hitter also earned 10 digs to clinch her 15th double-double of the season.

Senior Alyssa Ehrhardt earned 11 terminations and dug out seven on defense, while sophomore Ali Witt brought in seven kills of her own. Freshman Grace Murphy dug out 10 in the libero position, and junior Kaylin Powell blocked four.

The first set was closely matched, with 15 tie scores and no more than a three-point lead on either side. The Flames tied it at 19 and then once again at 20, as both teams traded on successful attacks. A NKU attack error gave UIC its first lead since the 10-9 mark, 21-20, but the Norse came back with a kill from their own Keely Creamer. The Flames once again took the lead off an NKU error, but the Norse took the next five to take set one, 25-22.

The Flames owned an 8-3 lead early in the second following a five-point streak of their own, but NKU responded, chipping away at the lead and eventually tying the match at 16. The Norse took their first lead since the early stages of the match, 18-16, following a block and a kill by their own Haley Libs. NKU then extended its lead to three off a UIC error, but the Flames were able to take advantage of a Norse error to make it 19-17. NKU then took three straight before UIC would score again, 22-18, but the Norse took another three unanswered points to close out set two, 25-18.

UIC struggled to contend with NKU in set three, but were able to draw within one at the 15-14 mark. The Norse regained their marginal lead with four straight before a kill from Groot made it 19-15. NKU took the next two, but the Flames replied with two of their own to bring the score to 21-17. The two teams went back and forth again, 23-19, before the Norse shut the door on the third set with two-straight terminations.   

 The Flames will return home for the first time in three weeks next weekend, as they welcome Cleveland State and Oakland to the Flames Athletic Center.