The Valpo volleyball team took to the court Tuesday evening in midweek action in Chicago, but despite being right in the first two sets, the Beacons dropped a 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-20) decision to UIC.
 
How It Happened

• Valpo led through the early stages of the first set, extending its edge to as many as three points. The Flames rallied to take their first lead at 11-10 and held a 15-13 lead at the media timeout.
• The Beacons scored consecutive points out of the stoppage to even the set at 15-all before UIC came back with a 5-1 spurt to earn a 20-16 advantage.
• Freshman Lilly Merk (Terre Haute, Ind./Terre Haute South Vigo) had a kill and a block in a three-point spurt which brought Valpo to within 20-19, but UIC responded with four of the next five points to earn set point at 24-20.
• The Beacons kept holding off set points, as a kill from junior Sam Warren (Kentland, Ind./South Newton), a UIC error and a kill by freshman Kadence Brumitt (Niles, Mich./Brandywine) extended the set three times. But at 24-23, Valpo was unable to force extra points, as the Flames claimed the opener.
• Valpo jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead to open the second frame, in part thanks to a pair of rejections by Warren and freshman Jessica Pickett (Carmel, Ind./Carmel). But it took UIC only until 9-8 to gain its first lead of the set.
• That set up a second set which eventually featured nine ties and three lead changes. UIC held a slim 15-14 edge at the media timeout, but a 4-1 spurt for the Beacons — which included three kills by senior Elise Swistek (LaPorte, Ind./New Prairie) — put Valpo in front, 19-18.
• The teams traded sideouts as the Beacons were the first to reach the 20-point mark. UIC scored three in a row to go up 22-20, but Valpo came back with kills from Warren and Pickett to tie the set at 22-22.
• The Flames answered with two straight points of their own to earn set point at 24-22, and while Warren came up with a kill to make it 24-23, UIC converted on its second chance to go up 2-0 in the match.
• Valpo held a narrow lead for the first half of the third set before the Flames went on a 5-1 run around the media timeout to take the lead, 16-14.
• The Beacons were still down just one at 18-17, but UIC put together four points in a row to gain separation. While Valpo eventually held off two match point chances, the Flames closed things out on their third attempt.

 
Inside the Match

• Tuesday's result marked the first time this season Valpo has lost a three-set match. The Beacons had previously been 7-0 in matches which went the minimum three frames.
• Brumitt led the Beacons in the kills department for the first time this season, finishing with 11 kills — her fourth double-digit effort of the year.
• Warren joined Brumitt in double figures, racking up 10 kills — her sixth time this season with at least 10 terminations.
• Junior Addy Kois (Osceola, Ind./Penn) led all players with 22 assists, while classmate Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) tallied a match-best 18 digs.
• Swistek totaled 10 digs to finish in double figures as well. In the process, the senior moved past Brittany Anderson for 16^th in program history, as Swistek closed the night with 1,290 career digs.
• Pickett paced the Beacons with four blocks.

 
Next Up
Valpo (9-8, 1-4 MVC) returns to the ARC this weekend, starting by hosting Southern Illinois on Friday at 6 p.m. The match can be seen live on ESPN+.