CHICAGO -- UIC concluded an action-packed weekend of four matches over three days in two cities by sweeping the visiting Chicago State Cougars Sunday afternoon, 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-23).

The Flames (6-3) never trailed at any point in the match as they extended their winning streak to four matches. UIC's triumph also snapped a six-match winning streak for CSU (7-4). It was also the first victory at the Flames Athletic Center in three tries this season.

How It Happened
UIC started fast by scoring seven of the match's first nine points. Freshman Kaliegh Skopal served a pair of aces during the early run with the second prompting a timeout for the Cougars. Chicago State clawed its way back and later found itself within a point with the Flames ahead 16-15 just past the midway point of the frame. UIC extended the lead back out to four points after Manuela Conte connected on a pass from Carla Salvato for a kill that gave the home team a 23-19 lead. Soon thereafter Kyisha Hunt punctuated the frame with her third kill of the set to seal a 25-20 victory for the Flames.

With two kills from Ali Witt, one from Hunt and a block for that pair, UIC opened up a 4-0 lead in the second set. Chicago State used another early timeout and it helped the Cougars eventually tie the score at 8-8 when Shontanae Addison served an ace. The Flames held a slim one-point lead at 11-10 before unleashing an 11-3 run that put CSU in the rearview mirror for good. UIC served four aces during that surge with Salvato, Skopal and Conte (2) all contributing. Eventually Hunt and Witt teamed up to block an attempt from Lauryn Dela Cruz to secure a 25-18 victory in the set and a 2-0 lead in the match at the intermission.

Conte fired back-to-back aces early in the third frame to give UIC an 11-5 lead. The cushion pushed to eight points, 18-10, after a kill from Hunt and Chicago State used its final timeout. The deficit was trimmed to two points with the Flames in the lead, 23-21, and following a timeout, Witt killed a feed from Skopal. UIC couldn't build on the play with back-to-back miscues, but the Cougars returned the favor when Addison served the ball into the net to give the Flames a 25-23 victory.

Beyond the Box Score

• UIC produced a season-high 10 service aces Sunday. Manuela Conte and Kaliegh Skopal tallied four apiece for the home team, while Nicole Johnson and Carla Salvato added one each.
• Salvato notched a match-high 17 digs in the three-set win. During UIC's current four-match winning streak, the Chicago, Ill., native is averaging 5.73 digs per set. Saturday she was named to the All-Tournament Team at the CEFCU Classic in Peoria, Ill.

Up Next

• UIC returns home on Wednesday, Sept. 13, for the first midweek match of the season.
• The Flames will welcome South Dakota State at 6 p.m. CT.