Wright State gets past UIC in the first quarterfinal match of the Horizon League Volleyball Championship

Nov. 16, 2007

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Wright State University Raiders swept the University of Illinois at Chicago Flames in the first quarterfinal match of the 2007 Horizon League Volleyball Championship on Friday at the Klotsche Center. WSU will meet the winner of the Cleveland State University-Youngstown State University pairing in the first semifinal match at 1:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.

With the win, the Raiders will advance to the semifinals of the volleyball championship for the first time since the 2005 campaign.

Wright State had three players reach double figures in kills. Senior Alisha Kimbro led the way with a match-high 17 kills, while sophomore Lexi Leonhard paced the Raiders defensively with 12 digs.

UIC sophomore Katerina Hanackova led the Flames with 11 kills and was the only player on the team to reach double figures in kills. Senior Liz Hrebic ended her UIC career with a match-high 15 digs.

In game one Wright State out hit UIC .195-.081 to claim a 30-21 victory. The Raiders led by as many as 11 points in the opening frame. Kimbro paced WSU with six digs, while senior Lindsey Frank tallied six digs.

Game two began with UIC jumping out to an early 7-5 advantage, but Wright State rallied to win seven of the next nine points to take a 12-9 advantage. Both teams would then go on to trade points and were tied at 20 apiece.

Wright State appeared to have the game under control as it reeled off nine of the next 13 points to take a 29-24 advantage, but UIC responded with a 5-0 run to tie the score at 29. WSU closed out the frame by winning the next two points to claim a 31-29 victory. Kimbro led the way with nine of the team's 19 kills in the second game.

Wright State closed out UIC in the third game with a 30-27 triumph. WSU senior Samantha Connor paced the Raiders with five kills and five digs.

In the third frame, WSU led by as many as eight points, but the Flames rallied to tie the match at 25 apiece as they scored five straight points. Wright State responded to the UIC rally as it claimed five of the next seven points.

For more information about the 2007 Horizon League Volleyball Championship, check out the volleyball championship central page at www.horizonleague.org.