CHICAGO (Sept. 1, 2023) – The UIC volleyball team (4-0) started off the UIC Invitational with a 3-0 sweep over SIUE (1-3) Friday afternoon.
COMMENT FROM SENIOR MIDDLE BLOCKER ZAHRIA WOODARD
"Our team just has a really big support system behind us. It's just being able to come together during the tough times of each set where we are maybe making error after error and knowing how to bring it all together at the end."
FIRST SET (25-18, UIC)
- The Cougars started the set off strong, leading the Flames 14-11, before calling timeout.
- UIC came back on the court and caught fire, going on a 14-4 run to win the set. Senior Martina Delucchi led the attack for UIC during the rally, earning three of her seven kills and a service ace. Sophomore Cleo Lorenzo also collected two of her four kills near the end of the set.
- Senior Sohila Wafeek and sophomore Francesca Venturini each tallied six assists as UIC totaled 16 assists in the set. The Flames doubled the Cougars in that category, who only had eight in the set.
SECOND SET (25-20, UIC)
- The Flames kept and maintained the lead early in the second set and jumped out to an 8-3 advantage over SIUE.
- Libero Jaclyn Oblena's serve couldn't be stopped by the Cougars, who landed three aces among six consecutive serves to build on UIC's lead. Oblena totaled four aces in the match, tying a career high for the libero.
- Seven of sophomore Ayat Amin's nine kills came in the second set, to help lead the firepower for UIC.
- The Flames secured the set after senior Becca Oldendorf and freshman Gabi Peter landed a block on the Cougars' Ainsley Ranstead to earn the set point.
THIRD SET (25-23, UIC)
- Both programs began the set by trading points, and were tied six different times during the set.
- Tied 21-21, Lorenzo spotted a serve too difficult for the Cougars to dig to earn her second ace of the match while giving UIC the 22-21 lead.
- Two attack errors from SIUE and another block from Oldendorf and Peter pushed the Flames to match point, 24-22.
- The Flames earned the victory after Delucchi landed her 10th kill of the afternoon on match point.
UP NEXT
The Flames are back on the court tonight as they end Day One of the UIC Invitational with a match against UAB (1-3). First serve is set for 7 p.m. It will be available to stream on ESPN+ and live stats will be available at UICFlames.com.
