UIC Completes Senior Night Sweep of Indiana State

CHICAGO — UIC finished another home match in three sets Friday, defeating Indiana State 25–22, 25–21, 26–24 on Senior Night at Credit Union 1 Arena. The Flames improved to 10–12 overall and 6–4 in the Missouri Valley Conference a day after sweeping Valparaiso.

Robyn Ward led UIC with a career-high 11 kills and hit .471. Gabi Peter added 10 kills on .421 hitting, giving the Flames two efficient attackers at the front of a balanced performance. UIC finished with 45 kills and 12 attack errors on 105 attempts, a .314 hitting percentage.

Indiana State recorded 44 kills but made 18 attack errors on 119 attempts, finishing at .218. The teams each had seven blocks. UIC’s advantage came more clearly in attacking efficiency and serving, with the Flames finishing ahead 6–4 in aces.

The opening two sets required responses to Indiana State runs. UIC recovered after the Sycamores briefly moved ahead in the first, then used an 8–3 finish to take the second. Ward supplied the final two kills of that middle set, converting a close stretch into a two-set advantage.

The third set was not a routine closeout. UIC led 22–16, but Indiana State answered with an 8–2 run to tie it at 24. Sasha Pellettieri and Emma Colombari then produced consecutive kills to end the match, preventing the visitors’ recovery from forcing a fourth set.

Tamara Kisic supplied seven kills and a match-high 13 digs. Colombari had eight kills, 12 digs and four blocks, while Paulina Ströh recorded 22 assists and four aces. Ava Young added 10 digs.

Indiana State fell to 7–13 overall and 1–8 in the conference. UIC’s next scheduled match is at Murray State on Friday, October 30, at 6 p.m. Central. The Flames leave this home stretch with two straight sweeps and a Friday finish that required them to regain control at the final possible moment.