CHICAGO – Missouri State's first match at UIC since 1988 ended in a 3-0 loss to the Flames at Credit Union 1 Arena Saturday afternoon, with sets going to the home team by scores of 25-17, 25-19, 25-15.

The Bears (6-8, 1-1 Missouri Valley Conference) hit .232 as a team, while UIC hit an efficient .372 and served 10 aces.

Azyah Green led the MSU offense with eight kills on .636 hitting, Deja Bickers hit .333 with seven kills, and Maddy Bushnell topped the .300 mark with five kills. Kate Owen had 10 digs as the lone Bear in double figures, and Green had half of the Bears' four blocks.

The first two sets followed nearly identical scripts. The Flames (10-5, 1-1) gained an early four-point lead, the Bears (6-8, 0-2) closed to 16-15 each time, and big runs by the home team put each set away. UIC scored seven straight from 16-15 in the opening frame and went on a 5-0 run from that point in the second, serving five aces in each set as well.

The Flames jumped ahead 7-1 in the third and kept the Bears at a four-point or higher margin from there, completing the wire-to-wire victory in all three sets.

Missouri State returns home Friday for a 6 p.m. match with Indiana State.