MOSCOW, Idaho – The UIC volleyball team (2-0) got its 2019 season off to a strong start, taking a pair of wins in day one of the Idaho Volleyball Classic. The Flames opened up the tournament with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-22) sweep over California Baptist (0-1) and ended the day with a 3-2 (27-29, 25-23, 20-25, 25-18, 15-11) win over Cal State Fullerton (1-1).
Match Highlights vs. California Baptist
Set One
- The opener was close in the early stages, with neither team leading by more than a pair until California Baptist strung together three-straight for a 14-11 lead.
- Following a UIC timeout, the Flames responded with four unanswered points to take back the lead, 15-14.
- Kills from Paola Santiago and Kiera James combined with a CBU error to give the Flames a 23-19 advantage late, and two more kills from James and Alexandria Hicks ended set one in favor of UIC, 25-21.
Set Two
- Six-consecutive points gave the Lancers a 16-11 advantage, forcing UIC to call timeout.
- The Flames were able to come back within one, 19-18, following kills from Tatyana Ndekwe and a combination block from Ndekwe and Marija Borcic.
- Two-straight kills for CBU made it 21-18, but another Ndekwe kill and a Borcic ace brought the Flames back within one, 21-20.
- Trailing by two, 22-20, UIC rattled off five straight to run away with set two, 25-20. The five-point streak saw a pair of service aces from Manuela Conte as well as a pair of kills from newcomer Brookah Palmer in her first set as a Flame.
Set Three
- Set three was another close frame, with neither team leading by more than a pair until three-straight points for the Flames made it 21-18, forcing a CBU timeout.
- After the break, Clara Lamb put down two feeds consecutively, extending the lead to five, 23-18.
- The Lancers replied with a pair of kills, but a termination from Ndekwe brought the Flames to match point, 24-20.
- CBU threatened once again with two more terminations, but Lamb stepped up again and put the Lancers to rest, 25-22.
Facts & Figures vs. California Baptist
Match Highlights vs. Cal State Fullerton
Set One
- Early blocks by the Titans gave Cal State Fullerton a 13-9 lead.
- Kills from Kiera James and Clara Lamb along with a Titan error allowed the Flames to pull within one, 14-13, but Cal State Fullerton took four of the next five, 18-14.
- UIC trailed by five, 21-16, but costly mistakes by the Titans allowed the Flames to pull within two, 21-19.
- The Flames tied it at 23 after a Titan attack error and terminations from Lamb and James.
- The two teams fought for the two-point advantage tying at 24, 25, 26 and 27 points apiece, until a Titan kill and a bat set from the Flames gave CSF the set, 29-27.
Set Two
- Cal State Fullerton took a 19-13 lead in set two, but the Flames took seven of the next eight to tie it at 20, thanks to three big hits from James and blocks from Tatyana Ndekwe and Alexandria Hicks.
- UIC took a two-point lead after a Hicks kill and a CSF attack error, 23-21, but an error on the Flames' side and a Titan block tied the set at 23.
- Brookah Palmer buried a feed from Marija Borcic to get the Flames to set point, and a bad set by Cal State Fullerton ended the frame in UIC's favor, 25-23.
Set Three
- Early attacking errors by the Flames proved costly, giving the Titans a 16-8 advantage.
- CSF turned up the offense to keep UIC at bay, 21-12.
- Staring down a 22-13 hole, the Flames pulled within four after five-straight tallies, 22-18, but the distance proved to be too great, as the Titans took it, 25-20.
Set Four
- UIC took an early command at the net, recording nine kills and three blocks for a 16-7 lead.
- The Flames lead grew to ten, 19-9, after a Lauren Musante kill and a pair of Titan miscues.
- CSF utilized two blocks and two UIC attack errors to come within four, 21-17, but that would be as close as it would come, as an Emily Kelly service ace and a Palmer termination finished off the Titans, 25-18.
Set Five
- The Flames took an 8-5 lead after a pair of kills from both Ndekwe and Paola Santiago, as well as blocks from Michelle Glover and Hicks.
- Three straight for the Titans put them one away, 10-9, but James stepped up for the Flames with a trio of terminations, 13-10, to give UIC some room.
- CSF got one more off a bad set from the Flames, but a Manuela Conte ace and a Santiago kill gave UIC the win, 15-11.
Facts & Figures vs. Cal State Fullerton
Up Next
- UIC wraps up the Idaho Volleyball Classic tomorrow with matches against Eastern Washington (noon CT) and host Idaho (9 p.m.).
