The Wright State volleyball team lost 3-1 to UIC Friday evening (16-25, 25-11,18-25, and 19-25).

First Set Highlights

Wright State and UIC kept the score close throughout the beginning of the match tying the score four separate times.  The Raiders were in the lead at 8-6 after a kill by freshman middle hitter Teddie Sauer, but a 4-0 run by the Flames allowed UIC to take the lead back at 10-8.  Wright State took their first timeout with the score at 10-8 to try and slow down UIC's run.  Coming out of the timeout the teams traded points back-and-forth pushing the score to 15-13 with the Flames leading.  Wright State took their second timeout after UIC went on another 2-0 run to extend their lead by four points at 17-13.  Coming out of the timeout the Flames continued their run pushing the score to 20-13 before Sauer sided out for the Raiders with a kill to jump start a 2-0 run.  The Raiders continued to fight to tie the game, but a 4-0 run late in the game allowed UIC to win the first set at 25-16. 

Second Set Highlights

Wright State took the early lead in set two at 5-1, but UIC went on a 3-0 run to close in on the Raiders at 5-4.  The Raiders quickly regained their lead after freshman outside hitter Abby Barcus put down a kill jump starting a 5-0 run by Wright State.  The 5-0 run put the Raiders up 10-4.  The Flames were able to post two kills in the middle of the set, but another 3-0 run by the Raiders pushed the score to 14-6 and UIC decided to call their second and final timeout of the set.  Coming out of the timeout the Raiders continued their run extending their lead to 16-6.  Both teams continued to trade points back-and-forth until the end of the set but Wright State's lead was too much for the Flames and the Raiders won set two 25-11.  Wright State posted 13 kills overall in the second set for a solid .310 hitting percentage as a team.

Third Set Highlights

UIC took an early lead at 2-0, but a 4-0 run by Wright State allowed the Raiders to quickly take the lead at 4-2.  The Flames were able to side out at 4-3, but a 3-0 run by the Raiders allowed Wright State to extend their lead to 7-3, with three of those points coming from service aces.  Both teams traded points back-and-forth, but a couple of runs by UIC allowed the Flames to close in on the Raiders and tie the game at 11-11.  Wright State called their first timeout of the set at 11-11 in an effort to slow down UIC's run.  Coming out of the timeout the Flames took the lead by going on a 5-1 run pushing the score to 16-12 before the Raiders called their second and final timeout of the set.  Coming out of the timeout the teams traded points back-and-forth, but a couple of 2-0 runs allowed UIC to extend their lead to 21-14.  Wright State was able to side out at 21-15 with a kill from senior middle hitter Megan Hopkins which jump started a 3-0 run.  UIC took their first timeout at 21-17 in an effort to slow down Wright State's comeback, and the timeout worked in the Flames favor.  Coming out of the timeout UIC went on a 4-1 run winning the third set 25-18. 

Fourth Set Highlights

Both teams kept the score close early in the fourth set tying the game at 3-3 and 4-4 before Wright State went on a 4-0 run to take the lead at 8-4.  UIC called their first timeout of the game at 8-4 in an effort to slow down Wright State's run.  Coming out of the timeout both teams traded points pushing the score to 11-8 with the Raiders still in the lead.  Senior outside hitter Katie Klusman slammed down a kill on the outside extending Wright State's lead to 12-8, jump starting a 2-0 run by the Raiders.  Wright State called their first timeout of the set still in the lead at 15-12 after a 2-0 run by UIC.  Coming out of the timeout the Flames were able to tie the game at 15-15 after going on a 3-0 run and quickly took the lead at 16-15 after a ball handling error by the Raiders.  Wright State called their second and final timeout of the set with the Flames in the lead at 16-15.  Coming out of the timeout the Flames continued their 8-0 run until Wright State's Sauer put down a kill to side out for the Raiders.  Both teams traded points late in the game and the Raiders were able to catch a little momentum going on a 2-0 run to pull within three points of the Flames at 22-19, forcing UIC to take their second and final timeout.  Coming out of the timeout the Flames went on 3-0 run winning the final set 25-19.  Barcus and Hopkins led the Raiders with 12 kills each, while senior setter Maddie Lohmeier led the team with an outstanding hitting percentage of .444.

What Coach Clements is Saying

"We were able to make a few adjustments in the second set to put them on the defensive and be in control of that set with our blocking coming alive and our serving.  However, tonight our passing was too inconsistent to allow our offense to find a rhythm and our hitting errors were what hurt us in the end."

Next Up

Wright State (9-17, 3-10) continues conference play at Green Bay tomorrow at 5 p.m. eastern time