CHICAGO – Kira Holland led all players with 13 kills and 13 digs Friday night inside Credit Union 1 Arena, but homestanding UIC eked out a narrow three-set win over Indiana State (25-22, 25-21, 26-24).
Ella Scott added 10 kills for the Trees, her most in conference play this season, while hitting a season-high .563.
Lily Mueller led all players with five block assists, while
Chloe Gilley (nine) and
Macy Lengacher (eight) combined for 17 digs between the duo.
Set 1 | UIC 25, Indiana State 22
Indiana State got off to a slow start, but the Trees caught fire on Lengacher's serve midway through. The senior libero put down an ace, while Scott tallied a kill and two blocks during a five-point run as the Trees took a 10-8 lead. Kills from Scott and
Ava Robart kept the Sycamores on level pace with the Flames through the middle stages of the set before a late three-point run for the home side turned the tide. Scott and Robart tried to keep the Sycamores alive with late kills, but UIC claimed the opening set by a 25-22 margin.
Set 2 | UIC 25, Indiana State 21
Kills from Robart, Scott and Holland had the Sycamores on the right foot early in the second set, as the Trees and Flames traded runs throughout the first half of the set. Neither team led by more than two until a 5-1 run from the home side saw Indiana State trailing 16-12. Kills from Scott and Robart fueled a 6-1 Sycamore run, with Mueller and Holland also tacking on kills to put the Trees ahead 18-17, but UIC countered with a run of its own. The Flames Closed the set by winning six of the last eight points to win the second 25-21.
Set 3 | UIC 26, Indiana State 24
Avery Hales and
Curry Kendall started the third set with kills, but it was UIC with the first big run of the frame, a 6-2 surge to put the Sycamores in a 10-6 deficit. The Flames further extended their lead to 15-8 by the media timeout, but the Sycamores didn't throw in the towel early. Kills from Scott and Robart gave the Sycamores life, but UIC countered with a run of its own to make its lead 21-15. Three straight kills from Holland halved the deficit, while Robart and
Taylor Knuth added kills of their own to make it a one-point set. Back-to-back kills from Knuth and Scott tied the set at 24-all, but the Flames finally put away the Sycamores with a late run to claim set three 26-25.
News and Notes
- Kira Holland moved into a tie for 10th in program history with 1,014 career kills, passing Jodilynne Stoker (2006-09, 1,008 kills) and Michelle Overby (1984-87, 1,010 kills) on the all-time list and tying Julie Kovacs (1987-90, 1,014 kills).
- Most of Holland's damage came in the last two sets, as she had 11 kills across the second and third sets.
- Ella Scott's 10 kills and .563 hitting percentage were both her best marks in conference play this season, while the hitting percentage was her best in a match this season.
- K Jo Glasgow appeared in her first match since October 3 at Murray State and served up her first career ace in Friday's contest. Glasgow's three digs were also her most in a match in her young career.
- UIC has traditionally been one of the top blocking teams in the MVC, but the Sycamores were even with the Flames in total blocks in Friday's match (7-7).
- Macy Lengacher closed Friday's match with 960 career digs, putting her just 40 digs shy of becoming the 12th player in program history to reach 1,000 career digs.
- After only playing in the back row and as a server last weekend, Taylor Knuth tallied three kills on an error-free five attempts in Friday's match.
Up Next
Indiana State closes its brief two-match road trip Saturday night with a 7 p.m. match at Valparaiso.
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