CLEVELAND, Ohio – Despite an all-around team effort, the Cleveland State volleyball team dropped a hard-fought five-set match to UIC Saturday – the final home match of the 2014 regular season. The Vikings now stand at 11-13 overall this season and 4-7 in Horizon League play.
Set scores against UIC were 25-23, 23-25, 20-25, 25-14, 15-12.
Prior to Saturday's contest, the Vikings honored their two seniors – Ally Beck and Maggie Hannon.
Grace Kauth led the Viking offense with a career-high 20 kills, while Maggie Hannon and Christina Toth each added 14 kills. Dayna Roberts and Gina Kilner split setting duties against the Flames, Roberts posting 27 assists and Kilner recording 22.
Shannon Grega served as Cleveland State's libero for the match, notching 16 digs along with two service aces. Aaliyah Slappy and Toth each posted five blocks on the match, while Hannon and Alexis Middlebrooks both notched three blocks.
After dropping a close first set, the Vikings battled back and earned a two-point victory during the second frame. The two teams stayed within two points of each other throughout the entire frame, until CSU was able to gain a three-point lead at the 19-16 mark after a 3-0 run. During this run CSU got points off of a pair of Kauth kills and a UIC error. The Vikings then held the lead for the rest of the set, closing out the frame with a Hannon kill.
The Vikings were then able to take a 2-1 advantage in the match with a 25-20 victory during the third set. UIC was able to get out to a strong start during the third frame, gaining a 14-9 lead before Cleveland State slowly battled its way back into the set. The Vikings were able to post a 9-2 run, gaining their first lead of the frame at the 19-16 mark. CSU continued this momentum throughout the end of the frame, earning the five-point victory after back-to-back kills from Middlebrooks and Toth.
CSU would come up short in the final two sets though, as UIC earned a 25-14 victory during the fourth set and a 15-12 victory during the fifth and final frame.
The Vikings will be in action at Green Bay and Milwaukee next weekend, facing the Phoenix on Friday, Nov. 7 and the Panthers on Saturday, Nov. 8.
