The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Memphis
UAB Downs Memphis in Thrilling Conference USA Opener Tuesday Night
9/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 19, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Sophomore setter Nevena Stefanov made a fantastic diving dig that led to a kill by junior middle blocker Angie Ping to open up a lead the Blazers retained for the remainder of the fifth game to cap-off a thrilling, 3-2 (30-28, 25-30, 17-30, 30-26, 15-11), come-from-behind victory against Conference USA opponent Memphis, Tuesday night. The match was the first conference match for both teams as UAB improves to 12-3 (1-0 C-USA), while Memphis suffers just its second loss of the season to drop to 13-2 (0-1 C-USA).
Stefanov led the Blazers charge with her highly intense play Tuesday night, posting 53 assists to go along with eight digs and four kills. Sophomore outside hitter Ivana Bozic had a double-double with 26 kills and 14 digs, while sophomore middle blocker Casey Dent had 12 kills and five block assists. The win was the first Conference USA win for first-year head coach Kerry Messersmith as the leader of the Blazers.
Memphis was led by junior middle blocker Shelby Burton who had 20 kills, while sophomore setter Laura Cote had 54 assists and 16 digs.
UAB continued its trend on Tuesday night of being a fast starting team this season. For the 14th time in 15 matches, the Blazers earned a victory in game one to take an early lead. UAB held a slight lead throughout the first half of the game, before Memphis closed the gap, and tied the game at 20-20. From there, the teams went back-and-forth until UAB found a way to pull ahead, 29-28, on a kill by Dent, and then closed out the game when Bozic put away one of her 26 kills to win the game 30-28.
Game two saw UAB use its momentum to build a 15-10 lead following an attack error by Burton. However, Memphis was resilient and fought back to take a 25-24 lead after a Burton kill, it was the first lead for the Tigers since they lead 1-0. Memphis pulled away from the Blazers late and evened the match at one game apiece after winning game two, 30-25.
Memphis fed off the energy it created late in game two to get out front early in game three, eventually opening up an 18-9 lead after an attack error on Bozic. The Tigers continued to roll, winning the last five points of the game to claim a 30-17 victory and take a 2-1 advantage in the match.
One game away from defeat, UAB found itself down 5-4 in the fourth game, however an attack error on Memphis followed by a kill by junior outside hitter Fernanda Domingos made it 6-5 in favor of UAB. The Blazers continued to inch forward, building a 17-14 lead after a kill by Ping. However, Memphis clawed its way back in the game when sophomore middle blocker Sarah Bury served five-straight winning points to give the Tigers a late, 21-19 lead. Then it was UAB's turn to make one last run to force the match to a decisive fifth game.
With Ping serving, UAB rallied to win eight straight points and take a 29-22 lead after a kill by Bozic. With the lead being cut to 29-26, junior middle blocker Shaniquwa Cooper and Bozic blocked Burton to give the Blazers a 30-26 victory in game four and force a decisive fifth game.
In game five, UAB continued its intensity showed in the late stages of game four, building an early 7-3 lead after a diving save by Stefanov led to a Ping kill. Leading 11-7, it was Stefanov again, this time with the help of Dent, coming up with yet another key play as the pair blocked Burton to take a five-point lead. After a service error on Memphis gave the Blazers a 14-11 edge, UAB scrambled to win another long rally with an attack error on the Tigers clinching the victory for the Blazers with a 15-11 triumph in game five.
UAB, who beat Memphis 3-2 for the second straight meeting, will next be in action on Friday when it welcomes Rice to Bartow Arena at 7 p.m.
