Valparaiso University

The Valpo volleyball team got on the board in the win column in MVC play Tuesday evening at the ARC, handing visiting UIC a 3-1 (25-21, 26-24, 22-25, 25-22) defeat.
 
How It Happened

• It was a slow start to the match for the Beacons, who took a timeout early trailing 7-3. A bit later, a two-point deficit flipped to an 11-8 lead thanks to five straight points, including a pair of aces by Maggie Uhwat (Spring Grove, Ill./Richmond Burton Community [Central Michigan]).
• The set was tightly contested the rest of the way, and it became a race to five with the teams tied 20-20. Valpo scored five of the frame's final six points, capped by a kill from Jordyn Gove (Amarillo, Texas/Randall), to close out the opener.
• It would take another rally for the Beacons to emerge victorious in the second set, as they trailed 15-10 at the media timeout before later getting a four-point spurt to even the set at 18-18.
• Neither squad obtained more than a one-point edge the rest of the way, and a kill by Ava Helming (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) tied things again at 23-23. UIC got a kill to earn set point, but Valpo forced extra points with a kill from Jessica Pickett (Carmel, Ind./Carmel). An error from the Flames gave the Beacons their first set point chance, and Gove delivered a service ace to make it a 2-0 Valpo lead in the match.
• Valpo led early in set three, but fell behind for good at 7-6. The Beacons did erase nearly all of a late seven-point deficit, rallying after trailing 20-13 to close to within 23-22, but UIC came up with the final two points of the set to extend the match.
• It was Valpo with the quick start to set four, jumping out to an 8-3 advantage as Gove produced three kills and an ace early on. But UIC fought back, eventually working its way back to a tie at 16-16 and pulling in front at 20-19.
• Uhwat combined with Maddie Steele (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) on a block to prevent the Flames from pushing their lead to two. Then, tied 21-21, Helming and Steele posted consecutive kills, and a UIC attack error gave Valpo match point. On their second attempt, the Beacons closed the victory as Helming and Steele sealed a block.

 
Inside the Match

• Tuesday's win leveled the all-time series against Valpo's most-common opponent all-time at 33-33. But it's only Valpo's second win in the series since UIC joined the MVC, and it's Valpo's first home win over the Flames since their final meeting as Horizon League foes in November 2016.
• The way Tuesday's match played out was the antithesis of last weekend's matches for the Beacons. Taking out the 29-27 first set against Belmont, the other eight sets of the weekend featured only 13 ties and six lead changes, while Tuesday's contest had 36 ties and 18 lead changes.
• Valpo won on Tuesday despite hitting just .160, as the Beacons had 53 kills and 30 attack errors — 16 of which were UIC blocks. It marked the team's lowest hitting percentage of the season in a victory.
• On the flip side, the Beacons did limit UIC to .157 hitting and held a three-kill advantage over the Flames.
• The Beacons' trio of top attackers all reached double figures in kills Tuesday. Helming hit double figures for the 12^th time this year with a match-high 16 kills, Gove had her 11^th double-digit effort of the year with 14 kills and Uhwat reached double figures for the tenth time with 11 kills.
• Gove and Helming also tied for match-high honors defensively with 13 digs, recording their ninth and fourth double-double of the season, respectively. For Helming, the 13 digs also tied her career best.
• Gove delivered from the service line from well, matching her career high with four aces while committing just one service error on a match-high 25 serves.
• Olivia Wagner (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South) handed out a match-high 26 assists, while Mia McCall (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) recorded 20 assists. Both setters saw at least 40% of their set attempts result in Valpo kills.
• Rylee Bumgardner (Danville, Ind./Danville) reached double figures in digs for the tenth time this season, while Danica Goch (Baroda, Mich./Lakeshore) tallied all seven of her digs in the fourth set.
• Pickett led the Beacons with four blocks.

 
Next Up
Valpo (9-6, 1-2 MVC) hits the road for the first time in MVC play this season, as it makes the trip to Carbondale, Ill. for a Friday evening matchup at Southern Illinois. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.