CHICAGO (SEPT. 16, 2023) – The UIC volleyball team (9-4) fell in four sets to DePaul (7-4) Saturday night as the Blue Demons ended the Flames' three match win streak.

COMMENT FROM UIC HEAD COACH JUSTIN INGRAM
"DePaul played well and efficiently. The serve-receive from them was very challenging for us. We need more players to be efficient for us to have success against a block as big as DePaul's. I thought our middle blockers and Martina Delucchi were great."

FIRST SET (25-17, DePaul)

• Both teams traded point-for-point early in the set and were tied at five early in the match. Senior Martina Delucchi (La Plata, Argentina/ San Cayetano) collected two of her four kills in the set to lead the Flames' attack.
• Senior Becca Oldendorf (Lockport, Ill./ Lockport Township) collected a pair of kills to thwart a Blue Demon's rally. DePaul led 11-8 before UIC called its first timeout of the set. Oldendorf finished the set tied with a team-leading four kills.
• With DePaul up 16-9, senior Zahria Woodard (Oak Park, Ill./ Oak Park and River Forest) earned her first solo block and kill of the match. The middle blocker finished with a team-leading seven total blocks.
• The Flames went on late 3-0 run behind a kill from Delucchi, a block assist from Delucchi and Woodard followed by Blue Demon's attack error to make the set 23-17. However, DePaul would take the next two points to win the set.

SECOND SET (25-19, DePaul)

• The Flames started the second strong, jumping out to a 5-2 lead. This run was highlighted by Woodard's second kill and second solo block of the match.
• Sophomore Cleo Lorenzo (Belo Horizonte, Brazil/ Elite) tallied her first two kills of the match as the Flames took a 12-11 lead.
• The lead continued to change hands throughout the middle of the set, as the Blue Demon's lead was cut to one behind Oldendorf's sixth kill of the match. 
• A late block assist from Oldendorf and freshman Gabi Peter (Gilbert, Ill./ Hampshire) brought the Flames within three points before DePaul earned its second set victory of the match.

THIRD SET (25-13, UIC)

• Delucchi was on point for the Flames in the third set, collecting nine kills.
• Kills from Delucchi, Lorenzo and Woodard highlighted an early 5-0 run for UIC, forcing DePaul to call timeout.
• Delucchi tallied two more kills over the next five points to give UIC an 8-2 lead. She was the first to break into double digit kills for the Flames.
• Sophomore setter Francesca Venturini (Bergamo, Italy/Liceo Classico Paolo Sarpi) earned UIC's first ace of the match to give the Flames a 13-4 lead.
• The Flames caught fire with an 8-0 run towards the end of the set. That was highlighted by three consecutive blocking assists and solo blocks from Woodard.
• After Delucchi's ninth kill pushed the Flames to set point, Woodard's sixth kill of the match gave the Flames the set three victory.

FOURTH SET (25-20, DePaul)

• The Blue Demon's started the set off on a 9-2 run with UIC's two points coming off kills from Oldendorf and Woodard.
• Lorenzo followed her sixth kill of the match with a blocking assist alongside Oldendorf as UIC trailed 14-7 midway through the set.
• After collecting her 19^th kill of the match, Delucchi earned the second service ace for UIC as the Flames trailed 17-11.
• Freshman Tamara Kisic (Belgrade, Serbia) collected all three of her kills in the fourth set.
• Delucchi earned her 21^st kill to earn the Flames their 17^th point before a service error pushed the set to match point. Three consecutive errors by the Blue Demons decreased their lead to 24-20 but DePaul secured the win in the next point after a UIC serving error.

FLAMES FEST AND START OF MVC PLAY

• The UIC volleyball team finished non-conference play with a 9-4 record. The team returns home to Credit Union 1 Arena to host Southern Illinois (8-3) Friday at 6 p.m. and Missouri State (6-6) Saturday at 3 p.m. to begin Missouri Valley Conference play.
• Next weekend will also be Flames Fest. Volleyball alum Stephenee Yancy (2013-15) will be among the seven new inductees to the UIC Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
• Friday's match will be UIC's fall Academic Achievement Night. The Department of Athletics will celebrate the successes of UIC student-athletes in the classroom. The match will also be Alumni Night with members of the volleyball program being honored throughout.
• Friday's match will be streamed on ESPN+ with Terry Bonadonna on the call. Live stats and social media coverage will be available throughout the entire weekend on UICFlames.com.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

• 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).
   

#ChicagosCollegeTeam | #FireUpFlames