Volleyball Burned by Illinois-Chicago

Box Score (PDF)

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The University of New Orleans volleyball team concluded play in the Redhawks Drury Hotels Invitational on Saturday afternoon, falling 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 26-24) to the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Junior middle blocker Rondolyn Bryant (Exercise Physiology) highlighted the offense with nine kills on an accurate .615 clip with a match-high three blocks assisted. Sophomore outside hitter Blessing Dunn (Business Management) logged a double-double for the second-consecutive match, posting 14 digs with 11 kills.

As a unit, the Privateers (1-2) held the advantage in digs 38-31 and total blocks 5-1. The Flames (3-0) recorded a team hitting percentage of .408, besting New Orleans' .223 mark.

"Quality of contact and decision making wasn't there today," head coach Millicent Van Norden explained. "We didn't take care of the ball as attackers. Yesterday I felt we were off to a quick start but that was not present today."

The Privateers came out firing in the third set, starting the frame with five terminations and a block to take a 6-0 advantage. Despite the strong start, UIC fought their way back into the set and took a brief lead at 17-16. The Privateers quickly countered with three-consecutive tallies to retake the advantage, before a pair of errors put the Flames ahead 20-19. Facing elimination at 24-22, the Privateers scored a pair of points off a kill from Dunn and a service ace from  sophomore outside hitter Lane Hindenburg (Exercise Science & Physiology) to tie it up 24-24. Needing to win by two, the flames ended the contest with consecutive points.

Illinois-Chicago jumped ahead of the Privateers in the opening set, using a 3-0 rally to take the 12-6 advantage early in the frame. Senior middle hitter Keke Richards (Business Management) sparked a three-point spree for UNO, which helped the royal blue and silver keep the separation within three until a costly run by the flames created a five-point separation at 18-13. UIC carried the momentum to a 25-17 set victory.

New Orleans took its first lead of the contest in the second set, a kill by Dunn on the opening play, before a 5-0 response by the Flames put them behind 5-1. In similar fashion to the previous set, the Privateers brought the deficit to within three, only this time UNO managed to take the lead after three kills from Bryant during a 5-0 run put the royal blue and silver ahead 18-17. The Flamed retook the advantage with three-straight points and five of the following six points to take the 22-19 lead. Freshman outside hitter Jordan Yauch (Biological Science) brought the Privateers back to within one with back-to-back terminations, followed by a service ace from sophomore libero Samantha Uline (Exercise Physiology) to knot up the score at 22-all. The sides swapped the ensuing two points before UIC ended the set with two-straight points to win 25-23.

Freshman setter Sarah Thomas (Accounting & Finance) paced the Privateers with 38 assists while chipping in six digs and one assisted block. Yauch finished the match with eight kills and four digs while sophomore middle blocker Kaitlyn Grice (Biology) recorded six on a .364 clip.

"We saw a lot of things we need to improve on this weekend," Van Norden concluded. "But I believe we have a lot to build upon. The team wants to be great and understands we will have pitfalls along the way and we all know that we have to keep working and evolve every day."

The Privateers return to action on Friday, Sept. 2 when they take on the University of Delaware at 9 am to kick off the FGCU Hilton Garden Inn Invitation in Ft. Myers, Florida. UNO plays its first home contest of the season on Thursday, Sept. 22 against Houston Baptist at 7 pm in the Southland Conference opener. Admission to all Privateer home matches is free.
 
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