CHICAGO – The UIC volleyball team will hit the road for the first time in 2018 this weekend as they travel to Omaha, Neb. for the Omaha Challenge. The Flames will be contending with the University of Texas at El Paso (10 a.m. CT) and host Omaha (7:30 p.m.) on Friday, Aug. 31 before taking on the University of Missouri – Kansas City (1 p.m.) on Saturday, Aug. 1.

LOOKING BACK
UIC opened the 2018 season last weekend with sweeping success in its home invitational. The Flames did not drop a single set throughout the tournament, taking 3-0 victories over Bryant, Maryland Eastern Shore and Central Michigan in route to the invitational crown. Last weekend's success marks the first time the Flames have started a season with a trio of sweeps since 1984.

Senior Ali Witt was named the tournament's most valuable player after hitting .469 on the weekend, committing a mere three errors across UIC's nine sets. Junior Tatyana Ndekwe and redshirt sophomore Manuela Conte joined Witt on the All-Tournament Team after putting up well-rounded efforts both offensively and defensively. Ndekwe averaged 1.89 kills per set and 1.56 blocks per set, while Conte averaged 1.56 kills per set and led the Flames with 3.22 digs per set.

ACED IT
Following the first weekend of competition, the Flames rank third in the nation in aces per set, owning an average of 2.67. Freshman Marija Borcic ranks 15th in the category as an individual, averaging 0.78 aces per set, and posted a personal best four service aces in Saturday's sweep against Maryland Eastern Shore. Manuela Conte also joins Borcic in the nation's top 100, ranking 79th with an average of 0.56 aces per set.

BLOCK PARTY
UIC comes in at No. 31 in the nation in blocks per set, with an average of 2.78 per frame. Tatyana Ndekwe leads the Flames and ranks No. 35 in the nation individually, owning an average of 1.56 rejections per set. Sophomore Alexandria Hicks averages 1.38 blocks per set, and sits at No. 78 in the nation.

OFFENSIVE FRONT
The Flames are hitting .212 as a team, second-highest in the Horizon League. Meanwhile, UIC's defense held its opponents to a mere .091 hitting percentage in the first weekend, 15th-lowest in the country. Ali Witt leads the squad, and the League, with a .469 hitting percentage, which ranks her 25th in the nation. Tatyana Ndekwe comes in at third in the conference ranks, owning a .389 hitting percentage. As a team, the Flames average 12.33 kills per set, fourth-highest in the Horizon League.

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 presence up at the net 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).

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.

FRESH FACES
UIC welcomes 12 newcomers to the 2018 squad, 10 of which are freshman. New to the Flames are junior transfers Tatyana Ndekwe (Hutchison) and Courtney Rutledge (Louisiana Tech). Sierra Bolen, Marija Borcic, Hailey Duncan, Paola Santiago, Michelle Glover, Clara Lamb, Lauren Musante, Velina Minkova, Francesca Wagoner and Emily Kelly make up the team's 10 freshmen. Seven of these newcomers saw action in the first weekend: Ndekwe, Santiago, Lamb, Kelly, Borcic, Minkova and Musante.

SCOUTING UTEP
The Miners went 1-2 in their first weekend, competing in the Tulane Volleyball 1-10 Challenge. UTEP defeated Incarnate Word 3-1 but was swept by host Tulane and handed a 3-1 loss to Louisiana. The Miners are hitting .180 as a team, led by junior Macey Austin's 3.91 kills per set average. Defensively, UTEP digs out an average of 14.64 per set, and averages 1.00 blocks per set.

SCOUTING OMAHA
Host Omaha went 0-3 in their first weekend of play at the New Orleans Invitational, falling 3-1 to New Orleans and 3-0 by both Murray State and Houston. The Mavericks own a .160 attack percentage as a team, averaging 11.1 kills per set. Sophomore Claire Leonard leads the offensive front, owning an average of 3.10 kills per set. The Mavericks average 1.80 blocks per set and 12.00 digs per set, and look to defensive specialists Claire Mountjoy (2.90 digs per set) and Courtney Morehead (2.40 digs per set) for their defensive needs.

SCOUTING UMKC
The Roos had a 2-1 showing at their home invitational last weekend, sweeping South Dakota State 3-0 and taking down Western Michigan 3-1. Austin Peay came out on top 3-2 over the Roos in a five-set dual in the tournament's championship match. Redshirt senior Tyrecia Lukes hit an impressive .542 on the weekend, averaging 5.00 kills per set, making just eight errors in 12 sets of play. The middle hitter was awarded Western Athletic Conference Offensive Volleyball Player of the Week for her efforts.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Flames will meet up with city rival Chicago State on Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. CT.