CHICAGO – The UIC volleyball team (8-2) polished off its home invitational on Saturday with one win and one loss to end the tournament with a 2-1 showing. The Flames fell 3-1 (24-26, 25-19, 23-25, 21-25) to Murray State (5-4) in their first match of the day, but ended the day on a high note with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-17) sweep of Sacramento State (3-7). Tatyana Ndekwe was named to the All-Tournament team for the Flames after hitting .371 (18k-5e-35e) on the weekend and averaging 1.18 blocks per set.

Match Highlights vs. Murray State
Set One

• The Flames took a 20-15 lead in the first, but two kills and a pair of UIC miscues brought Murray State within one, 20-19.
• Back-to-back kills from Michelle Glover put UIC ahead by three, 22-19, but the Racers grabbed the next two to come back within one, 22-21.
• A termination from Brookah Palmer and a Murray State error put the Flames one away, 24-21, but the Racers rattled off the next five consecutively to steal the set, 26-24.

Set Two

• UIC got another solid lead in set two, 21-15, and the lead grew to seven after a Racer error and a Kiera James kill, 23-16.
• A Flames error and a Murray State termination gave the Racers two, 23-18, but a Palmer kill put UIC at set point, 24-18.
• Murray State netted one more kill, but an error on their next attack handed the set to the Flames, 25-18.

Set Three

• The Flames held a three-point lead in the third, 21-18, but the Racers put together a kill and three-straight service aces to take over the lead, 22-21.
• A service error tied the set at 22, but another kill and another ace put Murray State up by two, 24-22.
• Alexandria Hicks found the floor for the Flames, but another Racer kill finished the set, 25-23.

Set Four

• The fourth frame was close until its final stages, with neither team leading by more than four points.
• Tied at 17, the Racers' offense gave them four of the next five for a 21-18 advantage.
• A Glover kill cut the lead back to three, 21-19, but another Murray State kill and a UIC error pushed the Racers' lead to four, 23-19.
• A Murray State error brought the match to the 23-20 mark, but the Racer offense struck again, bringing Murray State to match point, 24-20.
• Palmer chipped in one more point for the Flames, but a service error by the Flames put the match to bed, 25-21.

Facts & Figures vs. Murray State

• Brookah Palmer and Alexandria Hicks shared the offensive load, tallying 11 kills apiece to lead th Flames.
• Michelle Glover and Tatyana Ndekwe ended the match with eight kills each. Glover also assisted on six stops at the net, while Ndekwe collected three total blocks (one solo, two assists)
• Velina Minkova recorded a match-high 24 digs for the defense.
• Kiera James turned in five kills and also made four blocks.

Match Highlights vs. Sacramento State
Set One

• The Flames grabbed an 18-11 advantage in set one, but the Hornets took four points in-a-row to cut at the lead, 18-15.
• A Kiera James kill ended the streak, but Sacramento State took another pair off a kill and a block, 19-17.
• Strong offense and a solid presence up at the net allowed the Flames to take six of the final seven and cruise to a 25-18 win.

Set Two

• Set two started as a much closer battle, until a pair of Hornet errors and a pair of UIC kills gave the Flames four straight, 21-17.
• Sacremento State replied with three of their own to come within one, 21-20.
• The Flames grabbed three of the final four points to finish the set, 25-22, after a Hornet service error, a Tatyana Nedkwe termination and a Ndekwe – Alexandria Hicks block.

Set Three

• UIC was protecting a one point lead, 15-14, when it rattled off eight-straight tallies for a comfortable advantage, 23-14. The run featured three blocks from the defense and three kills from Paola Santiago and Hicks.
• The Hornets got the next three, but the Flames wouldn't be stopped, as kills from Glover and Emily Kelly put the set in the books, 25-17.

Facts & Figures vs. Sacramento State

• Paola Santiago was near a double-double, tallying a team-high nine kills and 10 digs.
• Kiera James and Michelle Glover poured in eight kills apiece. Glover also had a solid showing at the net, recording eight total blocks in the three sets.
• Velina Minkova led the defense with 16 kills from the libero position.
• Marija Borcic paced UIC with 22 assists, while Lauren Musante dished out 13.
• The Flames had a huge advantage in blocks, 13-3. UIC also tallied more kills, 42-39, as well as digs, 51-44.

Up Next

• The Flames will welcome city rival Chicago State to Flames Athletic Center on Tuesday, Sept. 17

Highlights vs. Murray State

 

Highlights vs. Sacramento State