Volleyball Punches Ticket to Championship Game After Three-Set Sweep Over No. 2 Drake - UIC Athletics (2025)

CEDAR FALLS, Ia. (Nov. 25, 2024) – The UIC volleyball team (23-9, 13-5 MVC) couldn't be stopped on the attack, dismantling the No. 2 Drake (20-10, 16-2 MVC) in a three-set sweep to punch their ticket to the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Championship at the McLeod Center.

Freshman Antonie Kelnárová (Prague, Czech Republic) turned in a stellar semifinals' performance with 15 kills and five digs. Junior Cleo Lorenzo (Belo Horizonte, Brazil/Elite) collected 11 kills and eight digs. Senior Kayanna Jones (Normal, Ill./Normal West) tallied eight kills in the win.

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— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

The full play-by-play and box score recap against Drake can be found here.

COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH JUSTIN INGRAM

"My assistant coach Lucas Yanez had a very good play coming into this match. Our block set up was different from the previous times we matched up and the results were significant. Our servers were dominant and Antonie was a force."

COMMENT FROM SENIOR KAYANNA JONES

"I want to first give all glory to God! I am super proud of my team; we prepared for this and we went out there and put in the work! I love how we kept our composure throughout the whole game and just worked together. We played them twice and knew what we needed to do and went out there and all did our jobs. I'm super happy and just proud of every single person on the team because everyone contributed one way or another. To sweep a team in the semifinals is a blessing and I'm glad I got to do it alongside my team. Go Flames!"

SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Set One

Big kill from Natalie Chizzo!

??: 8
??: 4

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?? https://t.co/DvMsA54UX3#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/crwOc4IMdX

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

Set One

Kayanna Jones with her fourth kill of the set!

??: 17
??: 17

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?? https://t.co/DvMsA54UX3#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/Chgioijkcx

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

Set One

Service Ace from Cleo Lorenzo! Timeout Drake!

??: 23
??: 21

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?? https://t.co/DvMsA54UX3#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/23q8ZlUR9O

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

Set Two

Big kill from Zahria Woodard!

??: 4
??: 2

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?? https://t.co/DvMsA54UX3#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/Rsif92lg3j

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

Set Two

Hannah Howard with the service ace

??: 7
??: 2

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?? https://t.co/DvMsA54UX3#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/5YAP1WGlxM

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

Set Two

Antonie Kelnárová with back-to-back kills!

??: 11
??: 3

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?? https://t.co/DvMsA54UX3#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/8EBXK5XTX8

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

Set Two

Cleo Lorenzo with a big kill!

??: 16
??: 5

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?? https://t.co/DvMsA54UX3#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/rnMq5ZSP4t

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

Set2? update??@UIC_Volleyball lead the Bulldogs 15-4 in set 2??#MVCVB pic.twitter.com/gWkm4rQMMS

— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) November 26, 2024

Set2? update??@UIC_Volleyball lead the Bulldogs 15-4 in set 2??#MVCVB pic.twitter.com/gWkm4rQMMS

— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) November 26, 2024

Set Three

Antonie Kelnárová with the nice touch!

??: 7
??: 6

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?? https://t.co/DvMsA54UX3#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/yKJsdFt5R2

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

Set Three

Antonie Kelnárová with the nice touch!

??: 7
??: 6

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?? https://t.co/DvMsA54UX3#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/yKJsdFt5R2

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

Set Three

Antonie Kelnárová with a BIG SWING!

??: 23
??: 20

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?? https://t.co/DvMsA54UX3#ChicagosCollegeTeam pic.twitter.com/nVlwL3U1I9

— UIC Volleyball ???? (@UIC_Volleyball) November 26, 2024

Set3?@UIC_Volleyball gets to 15 first??#MVCVB pic.twitter.com/94e6u0NJX5

— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) November 26, 2024

UPSET ALERT??@UIC_Volleyball claim the 3rd set over the Bulldogs??#MVCVB pic.twitter.com/hrXyDkRWUd

— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) November 26, 2024

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

• Now at 23-9, the Flames have tied the most wins since the 1988 season (23-17).
• 23 wins is the most wins under Ingram, surpassing their 22-10 mark in the 2022 season.
• Kelnárová has tallied 35 kills in the MVC Volleyball Tournament, maintaining a .441 hitting percentage across seven sets played.
• The volleyball team's run to the championship is the first for UIC since joining The Valley in July 2022.

CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT!

The Flames are slated to meet No.1 Northern Iowa (23-7, 18-0 MVC) for the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Championship at the McLeod Center for a 4 p.m. (CT) first serve. The match will be available to stream on ESPN+ with live stats on UICFlames.com.


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