CHICAGO – The UIC volleyball team (9-8, 2-2 HL) will once again split time at home and on the road this weekend, hosting Youngstown State on Friday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. CT before hitting the road to face Northern Kentucky on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 1 p.m.

LOOKING BACK
The Flames went 1-1 for the second-straight week, sweeping Milwaukee 3-0 on Friday (Sept. 28), but coming up short against Green Bay on Sunday (Sept. 30). UIC's sweep of the Panthers was their sixth of the season, while Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Phoenix put the Flames at 1-2 in five-set matches.

OFFENSIVE FRONT
The Flames are hitting .177 as a squad, fourth highest in the Horizon League. UIC has three players averaging over 2.00 kills per set in Paola Santiago (2.35), Kiera James (2.28) and Clara Lamb (2.24). As a team, the Flames average 12.79 kills per set, good for third in the conference. Ali Witt is the Flames' most efficient attacker, hitting at a clip of .288 this season to come in third in the League. Tatyana Ndekwe also makes the League's top ten, owning an attack percentage of .247 to rank eighth. The Flames are third in the conference with a 12.02 assists per set average, led by Marija Borcic's 6.13 assists per set average.

BLOCK PARTY
UIC owns a 2.31 blocks per set average, compared to 2.10 blocks per set averaged by their opponents. Junior transfer Tatyana Ndekwe leads the block party, owning a 1.13 blocks per set average as the League's runner-up in the category. Ali Witt averages 0.85 blocks per set, followed by Clara Lamb (0.75 blocks per set) and Alexandria Hicks (0.70 blocks per set). The Flames' 2.31 blocks per set average puts them at second in the Horizon League.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
Four Flames have posted double-doubles this season: Marija Borcic, Manuela Conte, Lauren Musante and Paola Santiago. Borcic leads the squad with seven, followed by Santiago with five, Conte with four and Musante with three. Borcic (30 assists, 17 digs), Conte (12 kills, 22 digs) and Musante (23 assists, 13 digs) all double-doubled in Sunday's loss to Green Bay.  

NOT SHEEPISH
Freshman Clara Lamb has made a name for herself early on in her UIC career, making a big impact for the Flames both offensively and defensively. Lamb was named to the All-Tournament team at the Omaha Challenge, UCF Challenge and the Chicago Cup after standout performances at all three tournaments. The freshman has already racked up the most kills on the Flames' roster (132), and is hitting at a clip of .220 (132k-50e-373a) to rank third amongst UIC's attackers. Defensively, Lamb has accumulated 44 total blocks for a 0.75 per set average, also third highest on the Flames' roster. On Sunday against Green Bay, Lamb matched her personal-best 11 kills for the fourth time this season.

ACED IT
UIC leads the Horizon League in service aces, averaging 1.61 per set. Manuela Conte averages 0.39 aces per set to lead the Flames and rank second the League, while Marija Borcic follows closely in third with a 0.37 aces per set average. Carla Salvato averages 0.29 aces per set to come in sixth in the League.

FRESH FACES
UIC welcomes 11 newcomers to the 2018 squad, 10 of which are freshman. Tatyana Ndekwe is a junior transfer from Hutchison, and the squad's 10 freshmen are: Sierra Bolen, Marija Borcic, Hailey Duncan, Paola Santiago, Michelle Glover, Clara Lamb, Lauren Musante, Velina Minkova, Francesca Wagoner and Emily Kelly. The newcomers are already making an impact, as 47 percent of UIC's kills, 60 percent of its digs and 55 percent of its blocks have come at the hands of a first-year Flame. 

SENIORITY
The Flames look to its two seniors to anchor the 2018 squad in Carla Salvato and Ali Witt. Salvato, a local talent coming out of neighboring Saint Ignatius College Prep, led the squad from the libero position in all 30 matches last season. The senior was the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 11, 2017 following a career-high 31-dig performance against Bradley at the CEFCU Classic. Her 31 digs was just the 15th time in program history that a UIC player tallied 30 plus digs in a match.

Witt hails from suburban Crystal Lake, Ill., and has been a strong offensive presence for the Flames the past two seasons. She led the squad last season with 104 blocks, while also averaging 1.87 kills per set on the offensive side. The middle blocker owns two of UIC's top 10 single-match attack percentages all-time, recording the ninth highest in UIC history last season (.727) and the fifth highest in her sophomore year (.786). The senior was named MVP of the UIC Invitational after leading the Flames to a perfect 3-0 appearance.  The senior averaged 2.00 kills per set, registering a .469 attack percentage (18k-3e-32a) while registering a mere three errors across all three matches.

KEY RETURNERS
In addition to its two seniors, UIC returns four players from the 2017 roster. Sophomore Alexandria Hicks and redshirt sophomore Manuela Conte are both entering their second year in a Flames jersey after both earning a spot on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team last season. Sophomore Alexandra Drosopoulou is also returning this season after gathering 198 kills, 246 digs and 27 service aces in 26 appearances last season.

SCOUTING YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Youngstown State and Northern Kentucky faced off last night with a 3-0 sweep going to the Norse. The Penguins are 1-4 so far in Horizon League play, their one win coming against Wright State on Sept. 28. Youngstown State is third in the League in digs, averaging 18.94 digs per set, and fourth in kills (12.47 per set) just one spot behind the Flames. Aleah Hughes and Margaux Thompson are fifth and sixth in the conference in kills, averaging 3.03 kills per set and 2.89 kills per set, respectively.

SCOUTING NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Northern Kentucky was on the winning side of last night's 3-0 decision against Youngstown State to improve to 4-1 in Horizon League play. The Norse lead the League in hitting percentage (.196), assists (12.98 per set), kills (13.76 per set) and digs (20.42), and are just one spot back from a perfect 4-0 Cleveland State. Natalie Hardig has the League's top hitting percentage, hitting at a clip of .294. Ashton Terrill is number one in digs, averaging 5.95 digs per set. Haley Libs is second in the conference in kills with an average of 4.16 terminations per set.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Flames kick off a four-match homestand next weekend, beginning with Oakland and defending Horizon League Champion Cleveland State.