CINCINNATI – The UIC Volleyball team (11-2) took a break from Horizon League action on Monday, taking a 3-1 (25-15, 22-25, 23-25, 27-29) loss in a close-fought battle with Xavier (5-5). The Flames cruised to a 25-15 win in set one but were unable to hold off the Musketeers in the sets that followed, falling by slim margins in the final three sets to take just their second loss of the season.

Paola Santiago turned in her sixth double-double of the season in the loss, tallying a team-high 13 kills to go with 14 digs.

Set One Highlights

• A 4-0 run for the Flames led to a 15-9 lead for UIC to start set one.
• A Xavier kill and a pair of Flames errors allowed the Musketeers to pull within four, 16-12.
• Terminations from Zahria Woodard and Jaclyn Oblena as well as a Xavier miscue pushed UIC's lead to seven, 19-12.
• The Musketeers would only put down three more points before the Flames would run away with it, finishing the set on a 3-0 run thanks to a Paola Santiago kill and a pair of Xavier attacking errors, 25-15.

Set Two Highlights

• Xavier made its reply early in set two, jumping out to a 13-7 lead.
• After a timeout, the Flames took the next four points consecutively to cut the lead down to two, 13-11.
• The home team took three of the next four to push its lead back out to four, 16-12, but the Flames followed with the same, once again coming within two, 17-15.
• Xavier pushed its lead out to five, 22-17, after four kills and a UIC error. The Flames got back to work, picking up kills from Santiago to come within three, 23-20, but the Musketeers got a kill on the next play to reach set point, 24-20.
• An Alexandria Hicks termination and a Xavier attacking error gave UIC two more points before a Musketeer kill ended it, 25-22.

Set Three Highlights

• After falling into a 14-11 hole, the Flames utilized a 4-0 run off a trio of Hicks kills to take over the lead, 17-16.
• The Musketeers tied it with a kill, but the Flames took three of the next four by way of terminations from Martina Delucchi and Hicks to give UIC a 20-18 advantage.
• Xavier tied the set at 20 after a kill and a UIC attacking error, and the two teams went back-and-forth, eventually tying again at the 23-point mark.
• A kill and a block for the home team ended the set in their favor, 25-23.

Set Four Highlights

• Trailing by one, 16-15, a 3-0 run for the Flames put the lead into their favor, 18-16.
• Kills from Santiago and Becca Oldendorf as well as a Musketeer attacking error extended UIC's lead to three, 21-18.
• The two teams traded kills, 22-19, but then Xavier took four of the next five, tying the set at 23.
• Woodard buried a feed, but the Musketeer offense put down a successful attack of their own on the next play, bringing the set to a tie at 24.
• The set pushed into extra points, where the two teams battled for the two-point edge. The Flames were protecting a one-point lead after an Oldendorf kill and a misplaced Xavier attack, 27-26, but the Musketeers fired off the next three without a reply to take the marathon set, 29-27.

Facts & Figures

• In addition to Paola Santiago, Becca Oldendorf and Alexandria Hicks also turned in double-digit kill performances, putting down 12 kills apiece.
• Hicks's 12 kills were a season high, and the senior also added seven digs and three blocks on defense, both of which are also season highs.
• Zahria Woodard finished with eight kills and a team-high three blocks.
• Martina Delucchi terminated seven for the offense and contributed 11 digs on defense.
• Jaclyn Oblena led the squad in digs from the libero position, digging out 16.
• Morgan Kull led the Flames with 33 assists on the day. Kull was also near a double-double, adding eight digs for the defense.
• Sohila Wafeek ended the day with 17 assists, also contributing eight digs on defense.
• The Flames tallied more kills, 58-51, and were also more efficient, hitting .173 (58k-30e-162) on the afternoon while Xavier hit .123 (51k-31e-163a). UIC also had the advantage in digs, 75-68, as well as assists, 57-51. The Musketeers got the advantage in blocks, 10-6.

Up Next

• The Flames will get back to Horizon League action next week when they travel to IUPUI for the regular season finale on Monday, March 22.
• UIC will face the Jaguar in back-to-back matches on Monday, starting at 2 p.m. CT.