Youngstown State Upsets UIC in First Round of Volleyball Tournament

Nov. 18, 2004

Box Score

Youngstown State 3, UIC 0
(30-20, 30-24, 33-31)


YOUNGSTOWN-Backed by a hometown crowd, eighth-seeded Youngstown State upset No. 5 seed UIC 30-20, 30-24, 33-31 in the first round of the 2004 Horizon League Volleyball Championship Thursday at Beeghly Center.


Cari Leslie had 11 kills and Melanie Pounders and Abby Ettenhofer added 10 apiece for the Penguins (10-20) who snapped an eight-match losing streak and won their first tournament match in four years in the League. Youngstown State only trailed on two points the entire match. The first was 3-2 in game one and the second was a game point for the Flames at 30-29 in game three. But the Penguins scored four of the final five points, winning the match on a kill by Ettenhofer.


"Playing at home feels like an advantage," said Youngstown State head coach Joe Conroy. "We played UIC in close matches twice this year and we put it all together tonight. I challenged them in the locker room (after the game) to do it again."


Jordan Studzinski paced the Flames (10-21) with a match-high 13 kills, while Kristi Herrington had 12.


With the win, Youngstown State advances to face No. 4 seed Cleveland State in the quarterfinals Thursday at 5 p.m. EST.