CHICAGO (SEPT. 12, 2023) – The UIC volleyball team will face neighboring schools Northwestern, Loyola and DePaul starting Wednesday night.   

UIC'S SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Wednesday Sept. 13, 2023

• @ Northwestern, 7 p.m.

• Where to watch: B1G+

Friday Sept. 15, 2023

• @ Loyola, Noon

• Where to watch: ESPN+

Saturday Sept. 16, 2023

• @ DePaul, 6 p.m.

• Where to watch: FloSports

All matches will be available via paid subscription streaming.

SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN

• This will be the 28^th match-up between both programs. The Wildcats are on a 15-match winning streak, with the Flames' last win coming on Sept. 16, 1995.
• The Wildcats sport a 5-3 record in the season so far, highlighted by a 3-1 victory against the formerly ranked San Diego (2-5) in the Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic on Aug. 27.
• The Wildcats rank fourth in the Big Ten in hitting percentage (.284). They also are sixth in the conference in points per set with 17.07.
• Graduate student transfer Julia Sangiacomo leads the Wildcats' attack with 83 kills. Senior setter Alexa Rousseau has racked up 262 assists, averaging 9.36 per set.

SCOUTING LOYOLA

• This will by the 72^nd time UIC and Loyola are set to battle it out but the first time at Gentile Arena since 2018. The Ramblers hold a 38-33 lead on the overall series. However, the Flames have won five of the last six matches dating back to Nov. 2014.
•  The Ramblers have gone 2-6 on the season in 2023. Four matches this season came against ranked opponents, including a five set victory over No. 20 Purdue (5-2) on Aug. 27.
• Loyola averages the eighth-most points in the Atlantic-10 Conference with 15.52. The team also averaged 11.83 kills per set, the seventh best in its conference.
• Having racked up 94 kills this season, Loyola's Karlie McNabb has the 10^th best average in the A-10. The senior averages 3.24 kills per set.
• Junior Esma Ajanovic has proven to be deadly from the service line. She has 13 aces for the Ramblers.

SCOUTING DEPAUL

• UIC is set to take on DePaul for the 48^th time in program history. The Flames have won four of the last six meetings.
• The Blue Demons have gone 5-3 this season, having swept St. Thomas, Northern Illinois and fellow Missouri Valley Conference member Evansville this past weekend.
• DePaul currently ranks second in the BIG EAST in assists per set (12.88) and kills per set (13.62). 
• Graduate Student Audrey Klemp ranks fourth in the conference in kills with 95, averaging 3.65 kills per set.
• Freshman Meghan Scholz is the top middle blocker in the BIG EAST with 25.0 total blocks on the season. She is averaging 1.25 blocks per set.

BY THE NUMBERS

• 26 kills against Dayton this past weekend was a new career-high for senior Martina Delucchi (La Plata, Argentina/San Cayetano). She now has 1,185 career kills for the Flames and is 36 kills away from breaking into the top 10 for career kills in program history. She is on pace to surpass Ambria Springer (2003-06), who collected 1,221 career kills.
• 263 assists from senior setter Francesca Venturini (Bergamo Italy/Liceo Classico Paolo Sarpi) ranks her eighth in the Missouri Valley Conference, averaging 6.92 per set. She has nearly doubled her assist total from a season ago when she collected 132 assists.
• Senior Becca Oldendorf (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) continues to be the most effective attacker in the MVC.  Her hitting percentage ranks first in the conference at .483 %.
• Sophomore Ayat Amin (Cairo, Egypt/Al Waha International School) continues to lead UIC on the attack with 135 kills. She reached a new career-high of 18 kills twice last weekend in wins over Wright State and Ball State.

FOLLOW THE FLAMES

• For more information, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_Volleyball and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_volleyball and @uicflames).