CHICAGO (SEPT.  16, 2023)—The UIC volleyball team (9-3) completed a match sweep against Loyola (2-7) Friday afternoon 3-0.
COMMENT FROM SENIOR MARTINA DELUCCHI

Senior Martina Delucchi (16 kills) shares her thoughts after UIC's win against Loyola!#ChicagosCollegeTeam | #FireUpFlames ???? pic.twitter.com/0XCaJEsTSA

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) September 15, 2023

"Today we had a great game. I think we did well as a whole and as a team. We communicated, we worked together, and they just couldn't stop us. We were playing so well and together and it's really exciting to have played two Chicago-based schools already and we have one more tomorrow."

FIRST SET (32-30, UIC)

• Each team traded point-for-point early in the set, with a pair of kills coming from seniors Martina Delucchi (La Plata, Argentina/ San Cayetano) and Zahria Woodard (Oak Park, Ill./ Oak Park and River Forest).
• After Woodard's second kill of the set, the Ramblers scored two consecutive points to increase their lead 14-11 and forcing a UIC timeout.
• The Flames managed to tie it 17-17 after kills from sophomore Ayat Amin (Cairo, Egypt/Al Waha International School), senior Becca Oldendorf (Lockport, Ill./ Lockport Township) and Delucchi forced a Ramblers' timeout.
• UIC began to breakaway later in the set with Delucchi collecting her seventh kill of the set forcing a set point 24-20.
• After the Ramblers rallied and forced the set to the 25^th point, the Flames secured the set point after Amin's third kill was followed by a Rambler's attack error 32-30.  

SECOND SET (25-19, UIC)

• Delucchi was the first for both teams to break into double figures in kills, collecting 11 kills in the first two sets.
• The Flames started the set red hot with a 7-2 run. That has highlighted by two sets of blocking assists from Woodard/Delucchi and Woodard with sophomore Cleo Lorenzo (Belo Horizonte, Brazil/Elite).
• A series of kills from Amin and Oldendorf pushed the Flames' lead to 12-6 midway through the set. 
• Sophomore setter Francesca Venturini (Bergamo, Italy/Liceo Classico Paolo Sarpi) 22^nd assist behind Woodard's fifth kill of the match to give UIC a 15-9 lead.
• Oldendorf's fifth kill thwarted a 5-2 rally for Loyola and gave UIC a 18-14 lead.
• The Ramblers nearly tied it up 18 all but a late 7-2 run capped off by Woodard's fourth kill of the set to earn the set point.

THIRD SET (25-19, UIC)

• The set was tied 6-6 early on, with Venturini earning her first of two kills in the set.
• Two kills from Woodard kept the tie going 11-11 entering the middle part of the set to finish off the match with 10 kills.
• Woodard's kill started a 7-3 run for the Flames. That was highlighted by kills from Amin and Delucchi. Also in that rally, the Flames lone service ace came from senior libero Abigail Sunga (Fontana, Calif./ Saint Lucy's Priory).
• After a ball handling error from Loyola forced a match point, Amin collected her 11^th and final kill of the match to secure the win for UIC.  

 
UP NEXT FOR THE FLAMES
The Flames complete the Chicagoland road trip Saturday night with a match-up against DePaul (5-4) at McGrath-Phillips Arena. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. The match will be available to stream on FloSports.com via a paid subscription.

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).