CHICAGO (Aug. 25, 2023) – The UIC volleyball team began the 2023 season with a five-set victory over St. Thomas to kick off the Chicago Classic Friday afternoon.
COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH JUSTIN INGRAM
"The match was back and forth and I think there were ups and downs, but that's why we do these early season matches. I thought at times we were red hot and at times we needed work. I thought
Becca Oldendorf a fantastic attacking game as well."
FIRST SET (25-16, UIC)
- The Flames began the set with momentum, outscoring the Tommies in the first ten points, 7-3.
- Senior Martina Delucchi led the way on the attack, earning two of her team-leading five kills. UIC finished the set with 14 kills all together.
- UIC continued the pressure for the second half of the set, extending its lead to 23-14. The Flames earned the set win behind kills from sophomore Cleo Lorenzo and freshman Gabi Peter.
SECOND SET (34-32, UIC)
- The Flames found their momentum snuffed early in the second set, finding themselves down 19-12.
- UIC came back from the nine-point deficit to tie it at 21 apiece, highlighted by service aces from Delucchi and sophomore Francesca Venturini.
- Tied at 25, the Flames and the Tommies exchanged leads before a kill from senior Becca Oldendorf and an attack error by St. Thomas led to UIC to a 34-32 second set victory.
- The set finished with 15 ties and six lead changes among both team.
THIRD SET (15-25, ST. THOMAS)
- Senior Abigail Sunga showed strength from the server's position in her first match of the season. She capitalized on two attacking mistakes from the Tommies.
- Venturini tallied three of her team-leading 29 assists in the third set, including setting up kills for Lorenzo and senior Zahria Woodard.
- Oldendorf, Woodard and Delucchi each tallied two kills apiece to collectively led UIC's attack in the third set.
FOURTH SET (19-25, ST. THOMAS)
- UIC and St. Thomas traded point-for-point early on, tying eight points apiece early on.
- Sophomore Ayat Amin earned three kills and two blocking assists alongside Woodard to cut the Tommies lead to three points, 20-17.
- Oldendorf's ninth kill of the game was the last point scored by UIC before falling in the fourth set.
FIFTH SET (15-8, UIC)
- A kill from Oldendorf and a pair of kills from Delucchi highlighted an early 4-1 UIC lead.
- A barrage of kills came from UIC following the Tommies third point of the match. Five unanswered kills from the Flames forced St. Thomas into a timeout, with UIC leading 9-3.
- Delucchi's 18th and final kill of the match came on an assist from Lorenzo, as the Flames won the set and the match.
UP NEXT
After UIC takes on Oakland Friday night at 7 p.m., the team will take on Lindenwood Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. Both contests will stream on ESPN+ with live stats being available online as well at UICFlames.com
