BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- UIC opened the season with two matches on Friday and it split the contests against strong foes from the Mid-American Conference and the Big East. The Flames came from behind to topple host Bowling Green, 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 20-25, 27-25, 15-6), in the first match of the season before falling short against Xavier in the nightcap, 3-1 (29-27, 25-20, 19-25, 25-16).

UIC 3, Bowling Green 2

UIC forced a fifth and deciding set in its season-opening match at Bowling Green Friday afternoon and the Flames dominated the final frame to seal a 3-2 victory, the first under new head coach Justin Ingram.

After surrendering a late lead in the fourth set, the Flames outlasted the Falcons, 27-25, in order to stay alive. UIC lead 20-14, but BGSU fought its way back with a 10-2 run and had a chance to win the set, and the match, with a 24-22 lead. Back-to-back kills from UIC's Ali Witt and Kyisha Hunt evened the ledger once again and eventually Hunt buried another to win the frame, 27-25.

The Flames were on fire to open the fifth set. UIC scored scored four unanswered points with kills from Alexandria Hicks and Witt, plus an assisted block between the pair. Bowling Green called timeout, but the stoppage only fueled the Flames as Ingram's squad rattled off five more points in a row to take a 9-0 lead following back-to-back attacking errors on the Falcons. The home would have the deficit down to eight points at 14-6 before Hunt and Sarah Daneliak blocked Nicole Slimko's attack attempt to finish the contest.

Hunt led UIC's offensive attack with 16 kills Friday. She also chipped in on the defensive side with a team-best five blocks. Witt added 12 kills and three blocks, while Daneliak posted eight kills, four blocks and an ace in her collegiate debut. Manuela Conte, a redshirt freshman who was also in her first match for the Flames, had a match-best 27 digs, while junior libero Carla Salvato added a career-best 22 of her own. Setting duties were split up as Kaliegh Skopal handed out 28 assists and had eight digs in her collegiate debut, while fifth-year senior Nicole Johnson added 24 helpers and nine digs.

Xavier 3, UIC 1

The Flames had a short turnaround with their second match of the day against Xavier scheduled for just over two hours after the conclusion of the victory over the Falcons. UIC was up to the test early on as it got out to a quick 10-6 advantage in the opening set. The teams traded brief runs with the Flames getting the first chance to put the set away after a kill from Alexandra Drosopoulou. The Musketeers stayed alive and had two chances at set point themselves, but both times Hunt hammered a kill to pull even once again. Xavier finally sealed a 29-27 victory with the help of a block from Alexis Newsome and a kill from Kristen Massa.

The Musketeers were in control throughout the duration of the second set, taking a 3-2 lead and never looking back. The Flames showed some late fight when Hunt and Conte trimmed a six-point deficit down to four with kills, but Massa ended a game for the second time in as many chances with another of her match-high 18 kills.

Following the brief intermission it was UIC that controlled an entire set as it never trailed at any point in the third. The Flames used a six-point surge to take a 12-6 lead and the lead soon blossomed to nine when Daneliak served a tough ace to secure a 17-8 advantage. Xavier would come as close as three points at two instances down the stretch before Conte connected on a pass from Skopal to finish off a 25-19 triumph.

UIC was unable to extend the match to a fifth set for the second time on opening day as the Musketeers led by as many as 12 points in the fourth stanza. Trailing 22-10, the Flames battled back to within eight, 24-16, after a kill from Laney Malloy. Xavier got a kill from Laura Grossman to end the affair.

Hunt once again led UIC on offense with a team-best 13 kills. Malloy added eight at a clip of .429 (8k-2e-14a) in her second taste of collegiate competition. Salvato dug out 22 attacks for the second time in a row to match her career high.

Up Next

UIC will play its third and final match of the Hampton Inn Invitational on Saturday against Duquesne. The first serve from the Stroh Center is slated for 11 a.m. CT.