DAYTON, Ohio – In a rematch of last year's Horizon League Championship match, the UIC volleyball team won its fifth consecutive match with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Wright State Thursday evening.
 
Paola Santigo, fresh off a career-high 26-kill performance the last time out, matched her career best with 26 kills against the Raiders. Santiago's final kill came on match point in the decisive fifth set after the Flames fought off three match points earlier in the frame.
 
Santiago's attacks were coming off the hands of Sohila Wafeek, who dished up a career-high 62 assists. The 62 helpers are tied for the most by a Horizon League player this year. As a team, the Flames connected on 74 assists Thursday, the most by any Horizon League team this season.
 
The two teams combined for 435 total attacks in the match, with UIC owning a 227-208 advantage and setting a Horizon League high this year in total attacks. Of the 208 swings by Wright State, 33 were dug up by Jaclyn Obelna digging up a career-high 33.
 
Four Flames recorded double-doubles in the match. Mikala Henderson finished 16 kills and 16 digs, Martina Delucchi also had 16 kills to go along with 14 digs, Santiago added 19 digs to her match-high 26 kills while Wafeek collected 14 digs to go along with her 62 assists.
 
The two teams traded sets, with the Flames taking the first, third and fifth set while the Raiders claimed the second and fourth sets. It was an extremely tight match throughout, as neither team led by more than five at any point in the contest. Thursday's match featured 25 ties and seven lead changes, with 10 ties and four lead changes coming in the fifth set alone.
 
With the match tied at 12-all in the decisive fifth set, Wright State won the next two points to take a 14-12 lead with a pair of match points. A Raider attack error pulled the Flames within one and a Santiago kill evened the match at 14-all. UIC fought off another match point at 15-14 before earning a match point of their own at 16-15. After Wright State brought the match level at 16-all, back-to-back kills from Santiago clinched the set and the match for the Flames.
 
UIC remains on the road to take on Northern Kentucky on Sunday afternoon.