CHICAGO – The UIC volleyball team (11-4, 0-1 HL) was handed a tough 3-2 (25-23, 19-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12) loss on Friday evening in its Horizon League opener against defending champion Green Bay (9-4, 1-0 HL). The Flames battled back from a 2-1 hole to take set four and force the tiebreaker, but the Phoenix pulled ahead early in the set and never looked back, giving them the set and the match.  

Match Highlights
Set One

• The first set was a close battle throughout, as neither team led by more than two through the remainder.
• UIC trailed by one, 19-18, when it turned the tables with three-straight scores to take a 21-19 lead.
• Green Bay took three of the next four to tie it at 22, but a kill from Clara Lamb and a block from Alexandria Hicks and Tatyana Ndekwe put UIC within one, 24-22.
• The Phoenix notched a kill, but Ndekwe was able to respond for UIC and end the set, 25-23.

Set Two

• Green Bay jumped out to an early 14-6 lead.
• The Flames were able to come as close as four, 19-15, but that would be as close as they would get, as the Phoenix would take the 25-19 win in set two.

Set Three

• Set three mirrored set two, with another early 14-6 lead for the Phoenix.
• The Flames once again pulled within four, 21-17, but were unable to close the gap again, as Green Bay took another 25-19 victory in the third.

Set Four

• UIC owned a 20-16 lead, but the Phoenix rattled off five unanswered points to take a late 21-20 lead.
• A termination from Paola Santiago tied it at 21, but back-to-back kills for the Phoenix put them ahead by two, 23-21.
• The Flames took the final four consecutively to take the set and force the tiebreaker, 25-23. The run featured a pair of kills from Brookah Palmer, a kill from Michelle Glover and a block from Palmer and Ndekwe.

Set Five

• Green Bay quickly doubled up on the Flames, 10-5, but kills from Santiago and Palmer as well as an Emily Kelly service ace put UIC within one, 11-10.
• Still trailing by one, 13-12, a block and a kill for the Phoenix ended UIC's hopes of a comeback, 15-12.

Facts & Figures

• Michelle Glover led UIC's offense with 11 kills. Alexandria Hicks and Tatyana Ndekwe were also in double figures, recording 10 kills apiece. Brookah Palmer ended the night with nine.
• Velina Minkova tallied 25 digs to pace the defense, followed by Paola Santiago with 13.
• Marija Borcic recorded her third double-double of the season, handing out 30 assists while also recording 11 digs.
• Green Bay held the advantage in kills, 59-55, but UIC tallied more digs (84-81) as well as more blocks (14.5-14.0).

Up Next

• The Flames finish off their first week of Horizon League action at home tomorrow against Milwaukee. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT.

Highlights