UIC’s Seven-Point Lead Slips Away as Illinois State Wins Five-Set MVC Quarterfinal

CHICAGO — UIC led two sets to one and 16–9 in the fourth. The Flames had already recovered from losing the opening set, won the next two convincingly and built the kind of lead that usually puts the closing points within reach.

Illinois State took those points instead.

The fifth-seeded Redbirds defeated fourth-seeded UIC 25–21, 13–25, 19–25, 25–23, 15–13 on November 19 at Credit Union 1 Arena, ending the Flames’ season at 17–10. Illinois State improved to 14–15 and advanced to face top-seeded Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference semifinals.

The decisive turn came before the fifth set began. After falling seven points behind in the fourth, Illinois State won 16 of the remaining 23 points. A match that UIC had been in position to finish in four sets became a race to 15, with both teams facing elimination.

The Flames still had opportunities in that deciding set. They opened with two consecutive points, then recovered after the Redbirds scored four straight. UIC tied the score at 5–5, 8–8 and 10–10. Illinois State answered that last tie by winning four of the next five points, reaching match point at 14–11. Ruth Ziegler ultimately supplied the kill that ended the match at 15–13.

Antonie Kelnárová led UIC with 18 kills and added 11 digs. Ayat Amin finished with 12 kills, seven digs and seven blocks. Cleo Lorenzo contributed nine kills, 18 digs and two service aces, while Gabi Peter added nine kills. The Flames had production across their lineup; the final two sets turned on their inability to hold off Illinois State’s response.

At the net, Julieta Sandez recorded ten blocks and Hannah Ditsworth added seven. UIC finished with 17 team blocks, one fewer than Illinois State. Individual blocking totals include shared blocks, so those contributions reflect how frequently the Flames put multiple players into the same defensive effort.

Ziegler led the Redbirds with 12 kills and joined Hannah Reichensperger with eight blocks. Aida Shadewald supplied ten kills, a match-high 20 digs and three aces. Illinois State did not need one attacker to match Kelnárová’s total. Its scoring came from several positions, supported by a blocking performance that repeatedly forced UIC to find another way through.

The statistical margins made the result especially difficult for the Flames. They finished ahead in kills, 59–53; assists, 56–48; digs, 73–67; and aces, eight to six. UIC also hit .176 compared with Illinois State’s .119. Those advantages covered the entire match. They could not carry forward as a cushion when the fourth set tightened or when the fifth began at 0–0.

Illinois State had already demonstrated its ability to recover in the opening set. UIC broke a 9–9 tie with four consecutive points, prompting a Redbird timeout. Illinois State responded with three points, then moved in front on consecutive Shadewald service aces. The Redbirds eventually won that set by four. The opening recovery and the fourth-set comeback gave Illinois State two distinct escapes from deficits in sets it ultimately won.

UIC’s best attacking stretches came in the middle of the afternoon. The Flames hit .258 in the second set and .273 in the third, combining 29 kills across those two frames. Illinois State hit below zero in the second and .094 in the third. UIC had turned an opening-set defeat into a clear advantage, making the Redbirds play from behind in the match.

That efficiency changed in the fourth. Illinois State produced 15 kills against six attacking errors, hitting .220. UIC had 11 kills and seven errors for a .100 mark. The Flames’ lead survived long enough to reach 16–9, but their attack no longer created the separation it had during the preceding two sets.

Francesca Venturini and Mihaela Harizanova each finished with 23 assists for UIC. Venturini also collected 13 digs, and Hannah Howard added 15. Across the net, Ella Craggs had 26 assists and 11 digs, with Audrey Clark supplying another 18 assists. Both teams extended rallies and distributed the ball; Illinois State finished the points that determined who would keep playing.

The loss arrived four days after UIC had beaten the same opponent in four sets on Senior Night. Amin led that November 15 victory with 14 kills, while Kelnárová and Sandez added 12 apiece. That result completed an 11–5 conference regular season. The tournament rematch offered no protection from a different ending against a familiar opponent.

Three Flames had received all-conference recognition before the quarterfinal. Amin earned First Team All-MVC honors; Kelnárová and Sandez were Second Team selections. Their work helped UIC earn the fourth seed and a home postseason match. On Wednesday, the Flames came close to extending that season, but Illinois State’s fourth-set recovery changed the afternoon and its fifth-set finish made the change permanent.