INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Despite a pair of 17-kill performances by Martina Delucchi and Paola Santiago, the UIC volleyball team dropped its final match at the Top Dawg Challenge, 3-1, to Butler.
 
Delucchi tied for the team-lead with 16 digs while Santiago added 15 as the duo both recorded their second double-double of the season. Morgan Kull and Sohila Wafeek each tallied double-doubles in assists and digs, with Kull dishing out 38 assists to go along with 16 digs while Wafeek posted 12 assists and 12 digs.
 
After Butler took the first two sets, UIC responded with a 25-17 victory in the third to push Saturday's match to a fourth set. The Flames climbed back from a deficit to get within two of the Bulldogs late in the fourth set, but Butler closed out the set to clinch the match.
 
UIC will be back in action next Friday and Saturday, Sept. 3-4, at the Red & White Invitational hosted by Illinois State.
 
 
Set One

• The teams remained within three points of each other throughout the first half of the set until Butler used a 4-1 run to take a 14-10 lead and force a timeout by the Flames.
• UIC was unable to slow down Butler's momentum coming out of the break, as the Bulldogs ripped off the next three points, forcing UIC to burn its second timeout at 17-10.
• Butler's run would grow to 10-2 and a 22-12 advantage until a Delucchi kill ended the scoring spree. Delucchi led the way with five kills in the opening set as Butler closed things out to take a 1-0 lead.

 
Set Two

• Butler jumped out to an 8-3 lead to start the second set, forcing a UIC timeout. The Flames slowly climbed back following the break to even the set at 14-all before pushing ahead by a 16-14 margin. Delucchi and Mahria Woodard kills gave the Flames the slim two-point advantage.
• UIC held the lead until Butler used a 4-0 run to take a 22-20 lead, eventually closing out the 25-22 victory.
• Santiago came to life in the second set, recording seven of UIC's 15 kills. She led all hitters in the second set with a .636 hitting percentage while adding five digs in the second set.

 
Set Three

• UIC had its best offensive performance in the third set, hitting at a .433 percentage as a team while limiting Butler to a .152 percentage.
• The set was tied twice and UIC never played from behind, controlling the tempo to pick up the 25-17 victory.
• UIC's service game set the tone, as the Flames dished out four of their seven aces Saturday during the third set alone.

 
Set Four

• Butler closed out the match with a 25-22 victory in the fourth set.
• After the Bulldogs built a 22-15 lead, UIC slowly pulled within a pair at 23-21. A quartet of kills by Santiago and an ace by Jaclyn Oblena highlighted the run as UIC looked to force a decisive fifth set.
• UIC's momentum couldn't be sustained, as Butler won two of the final three points to claim the set and the match.

 
Facts & Figures

• Four Flames recorded double-doubles. Delucchi and Santiago recorded 10+ kills and digs while Wafeek and Kull recorded 10 or more assists and digs.
• Oblena was the fifth UIC player to record 10 or more digs, finishing with 15 in the match.
• UIC's service game recorded seven aces during the match while its defense limited Butler to just a pair of aces.
• The Flames owned a 5-2 advantage in blocks in the match. Becca Oldendorf was a part of three different blocks while Mikala Henderson and Delucchi were in on a pair of blocks each.