CHICAGO – The UIC volleyball team (1-0, 1-0 HL) started its season off on a high note on Monday evening, taking a 3-1 (25-20, 25-15, 23-25, 25-21) win over Horizon League newcomer Purdue Fort Wayne (0-1, 0-1 HL). The Flames hit .400 (68k-10e-145a) as a squad and had four players record double-digit kill efforts in Paola Santiago (15), Zahria Woodard (14), Becca Oldendorf (13) and Mikala Henderson (12).

Set One Highlights

• The Flames built a 15-7 lead in the first after a pair of 4-0 runs. Three UIC kills and a pair of Purdue Fort Wayne attack errors pushed the Flames' lead to 11, 20-9.
• The Mastodons began to put up a fight, taking nine of the next 10 to pull within three, 21-18.
• After a UIC timeout, the two teams traded kills, 23-20, until terminations from Becca Oldendorf and Mikala Henderson would end the set, 25-20.

Set Two Highlights

• The Flames carried their momentum into set two, speeding off to an early 9-3 advantage.
• PFW attempted another comeback, eventually pulling within three, 11-8. Kills from Zahria Woodard and Paola Santiago combined with a Martina Delucchi ace to put the Flames up by six, 14-8.
• A Flames service error and a PFW block gave the Mastodons a pair of points, but UIC would take four of the next five thanks to kills from Santiago and Morgan Kull, as well as a PFW error, 18-11.
• A 4-0 run pushed the Flames' lead into double-digits, 24-14. One more kill fell for the Mastodons before a termination from Woodard would wrap the set, 25-15.

Set Three Highlights

• This time it was Purdue Fort Wayne getting the early lead, 8-3. A trio of kills from Santiago put UIC within three, 13-10, but the Mastodons picked up the next two, 15-10.
• A 4-1 run for the Flames featuring a pair of Delucchi kills put UIC just two away, 16-14, but it was quickly counteracted by a 4-1 run by the Mastodons, 20-15.
• The Flames were able to tie the match at 22 with six unanswered points. The run featured a kill from Kull as well as a pair of Santiago – Becca Oldendorf blocks.
• Purdue Fort Wayne put down three of the next four terminations to end the set in its favor, 25-23.

Set Four Highlights

• The Flames showed off their offense, utilizing 11 kills early for a 15-10 advantage. The Mastodons put down a pair of kills, but UIC was able to take them right back, 17-12.
• Terminations from Santiago, Delucchi and Oldendorf, as well as another Santiago – Oldendorf block put UIC up by seven, 21-14.
• The visitors scored five of the next seven to come within three, but a kill at the hands of Woodard would put UIC at match point, 25-19.
• Purdue Fort Wayne was able to chip in two more points before a Delucchi kill would end it, 25-21.

Facts & Figures

• Junior Paola Santiago led UIC's offensive efforts with 15 kills. The junior also turned in 10 digs for her first double-double of the season.
• Zahria Woodard hit .481 (14k-1e-27a) on the day with 14 kills.
• Becca Oldendorf was the Flames' most efficient attacker on the night, hitting .617 (13k-0e-21a) in an error-free performance. The freshman also collected six blocks on defense.
• Mikala Henderson finished with 12 kills and five digs while hitting 417 (12k-2e-24a) on the night.
• Martina Delucchi picked up eight kills and six digs.
• Senior transfer Morgan Kull dished out 54 assists and made 10 digs on defense for her first double-double as a Flame. Kull also tallied six kills for the offense.
• Jaclyn Oblena donned the libero jersey and picked up 24 digs for the Flames. She also handed out four assists.
• UIC finished with 68 kills as a squad, compared to 54 for Purdue Fort Wayne. The Flames also tallied more digs, 61-57, as well as assists, 60-50. UIC out blocked the Mastodons 7-3.

Up Next

• The Flames and Mastodons will finish out the series tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT inside the Flames Athletic Center.

Highlights