GREEN BAY, Wis. – The UIC volleyball team (17-13, 10-7 HL) wrapped up the regular season on Saturday with a 3-2 (26-24, 25-22, 19-25, 26-28, 15-17) loss to Green Bay (18-10, 13-3 HL). The Flames were able to take the first two sets from the regular season champions, but the Phoenix proved hard to beat, taking the next three sets.

Match Highlights

• Set One: Green Bay jumped out to a 7-3 lead to start the first set, and extended it to 10-3 after a 3-0 run. Two Phoenix errors and a Velina Minkova ace put UIC within four, 11-7, but Green Bay took the next three, 14-7.
• Set One: A kill from Paola Santiago, an Emily Kelly service ace and two blocks from Kiera James and Michelle Glover made it 14-11, forcing the Phoenix to call timeout.
• Set One: Following the break, UIC took four of the next five to tie the set at 15. The two teams traded on points until the Flames were able to take their first lead of the set after a Santiago kill, 19-18.
• Set One: The set came to a tie once again at the 21-point mark, but the Phoenix took back the lead following a UIC timeout, 23-21. The Flames were able to take the next three to once again flip the lead, 24-23, and following a pair of kills from James, UIC was able to pull off the comeback victory, 26-24.
• Set Two: Green Bay broke an 8-8 tie with five straight for a 13-8 advantage. The Flames retaliated, taking eight of the next 10 to take over the lead, 16-15.
• Set Two: A Phoenix error and a Santiago kill put UIC up by a pair, 20-18, and the lead grew to three after a James kill, 23-20.
• Set Two: Two consecutive kills cut UIC's lead to just one, 23-22, but another James termination and a Phoenix error ended the set in favor of the Flames, 25-22.
• Set Three: Neither team led by more than two to start set three, until Green Bay pulled ahead with an 8-0 run, 19-11. The Flames were unable to muster a comeback this time, dropping the set 25-19.
• Set Four:  UIC lead by one, 13-12, when Green Bay rattled off three-straight blocks and a kill to take over the lead, 16-13.
• Set Four: Trailing by four, 19-15, the Flames went on a 3-0 streak after kills from Santiago and Lamb to come within one, 19-18. UIC was able to tie it at 20 and again at 21, but the Phoenix took three in-a-row for a 24-21 lead.
• Set Four: The Flames showed off their resiliency, taking the next three to tie the set at 24, but the Phoenix would finish the set on top, 28-26.
• Set Five: UIC started the tiebreaker with a 5-2 lead, but the Phoenix tied it at five with a 3-0 run.
• Set Five: Tied at 10, the Phoenix took three of the next four for a 13-11 lead, but the Flames took three straight to go up 14-13.
• Set Five: Green Bay used a kill and a block for a 15-14 lead, but Marija Borcic sent a kill over the net to tie it at 15. A UIC service error and a Phoenix kill ended the set with a win for Green Bay, 17-15.

Facts & Figures

• Kiera James and Paola Santiago shared the bulk of the offensive load, tallying 15 kills each to pace the Flames.
• Michelle Glover had her first double-double of the year with a career-high 11 terminations and a personal best 10 blocks. Her ten total blocks joins a tie for ninth-highest in a single match.
• Clara Lamb ended the day with nine kills, followed by Ali Witt with six.
• Manuela Conte led the defense with 22 digs. Carla Salvato contributed 16 digs, while Velina Minkova recorded 15.
• Marija Borcic earned her 15th double-double of the season with 51 assists and 11 digs.
• The Flames netted a team season-high with 16 blocks, but were out-blocked by Green Bay 18-16.
• James registered five denials while Santiago, Witt and Borcic all recorded four.

Up Next

• The Flames will return to Green Bay next week for the Horizon League Championships, which are set to begin on Friday, Nov. 16.