SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Oct. 20, 2023) – Coming back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the match in the fourth set, the UIC volleyball team (13-10, 4-6 MVC) couldn't get past Missouri State (10-12, 4-6 MVC) in the fifth set, falling to the Bears 3-2 Friday night at the Hammons Student Center.

FIRST SET (25-21, MSU)

• Kills from UIC freshman Gabi Peter (Gilbert, Ill./Hampshire) and senior Zahria Woodard (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park and River Forest) kept things close early in the match as the two teams were tied 3-3 through the first six points.
• After an early rally from Missouri State, the Flames responded with 3-1 rally of their own, highlighted by sophomore Cleo Lorenzo's (Belo Horizonte, Brazil/Elite) first kill of the match. UIC trailed 9-6 entering the middle of the set.
• Senior Martina Delucchi (La Plata, Argentina/San Cayetano) tallied her first three kills in the next series of points as the Flames trailed the Bears by two, 14-12.
• A block from Lorenzo and Woodard kept UIC close as the Bears remained ahead (22-20).
• Woodard's second kill of the match cut the UIC deficit to three (24-21), but Missouri State took the next point to win the set 25-21.

SECOND SET (25-20, MSU)

• Delucchi tallied two early kills for UIC in the second set. With UIC down 5-4, she hit the Flames' first ace of the match to tie the match at 5-5.
• A 4-0 rally from Missouri State was disrupted by Lorenzo's second kill of the night as the Bears took their first lead of the set (9-6).
• Peter's fourth kill of the night kept the Flames within reach of the Bears. Heading in to the media timeout, UIC trailed 15-10.
• Entering her first match since Aug. 26, senior Jackie Yau (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy) collected two kills in the set.
• A late 4-0 rally by UIC was highlighted by kills from Peter and Delucchi. However, the Bears were able to hold off the Flames offensive surge to earn their second set victory.

THIRD SET (25-21, UIC)

• The Flames started the third set on a 4-1 rally behind kills from Yau, Woodard and Delucchi.
• Delucchi's fourth kill of the set maintained UIC's lead midway through the set at 13-12.
• Back-to-back kills from Delucchi and freshman Tamara Kisic (Belgrade, Serbia) kept UIC ahead with a 22-19 lead.
• Kisic's second kill of the set was soon followed by an ace from senior libero Jaclyn Oblena (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) to earn UIC its first set victory of the night.

FOURTH SET (26-24, UIC)

• UIC started off strong in the fourth set with a 3-2 lead behind kills from Delucchi, Peter and Yau.
• Delucchi tallied her 20^th kill of the match after a UIC timeout to maintain its lead (10-9).
• The lead changed five different times in the set before Kisic's eighth kill of the night tied the match at 19-19.
• Tied at 24, a kill from Lorenzo and UIC's third ace of the night from senior setter Sohila Wafeek (Cairo, Egypt/Al Gomhorya Language School) earned the Flames their second consecutive set victory and tied the match at 2-2.

FIFTH SET (15-10, MSU)

• Delucchi earned her 26^th and final killed of the match to cap off an early 4-1 rally by the Flames.
• Woodard collected two more kills in the fifth set to finish the night with 11 kills.
• The Flames final point came off an ace from sophomore Francesca Venturini (Bergamo, Italy/Liceo Classico Paolo Sarpi).

UP NEXT FOR THE FLAMES
UIC makes the trek up I-44 East to face off against Southern Illinois (12-9, 4-6 MVC) Saturday at 5 p.m. This will be the second match between the Flames and Salukis this season. Live stats will be available to follow the match at UICFlames.com. 

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