The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Rice
Home Win Streak Halted At 11 As Rice Blanks UAB
10/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 21, 2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB volleyball team had its 11-match home winning streak snapped by Rice Sunday afternoon as the Owls beat the Blazers, 3-0 (30-21, 34-32, 30-24), inside Bartow Arena. Senior Brianna Galvin finished with 20 digs in the match to lead UAB, which falls to 17-7 (7-3 C-USA) with the loss.
Rice improves to 10-12 (5-5 C-USA) with the victory.
"I have to give credit to Rice, they were the better team today," said UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith. "I'm just frustrated with the lack of emotion we play with at home. I know I have said it many times following matches here, but it's true, we just don't play our best at home for some reason. We have got to be more prepared when we come to the gym."
UAB had won 11-straight home matches dating back to Oct. 18, 2006. Sunday's loss also snapped UAB's season-long nine-match winning streak.
Senior Fernanda Domingos led the Blazers offensively with 12 kills, while junior Casey Dent also finished in double-figures in kills with 11.
Junior Nevena Stefanov dished out 43 assists and made six digs.
Defensively, junior Lilly Domingos had five total blocks to go with four kills. Junior Aleksandra Vujovic was also strong defensively, finishing with 11 digs.
Rice was paced by Natalie Bogan who finished with 17 kills on .448 hitting. Bogan also made nine total blocks on the defensive end. Jesse Boulavsky was equally impressive for the Owls, going for 14 kills on .433 hitting and four blocks.
Rice put together a string of five straight points early in game one to take an 11-7 lead and then later, another five-point run, capped off by an attack error on Dent, gave the Owls a 22-16 advantage.
The Owls were able to hold off the Blazers from there, winning the game, 30-21, on a kill by Jennifer McClean.
Rice built a 22-15 lead in game two before the Blazers came back and won the next five points to cut the deficit to 22-20 following an attack error on McClean. UAB eventually tied the game, 26-26, on a Dent kill and then an attack error on Bogan on the next point gave the Blazers the lead.
The two teams went back-and-forth for the rest of the game with Rice coming out on top, winning the game, 34-32, on a Bogan kill to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Rice wasted no time building a lead in game three as a five-point surge opened up a 13-6 lead that would not be relinquished as Rice pulled away for the 30-24 victory.
The Blazers' next match will be Friday at UCF at 6:00 p.m. CT.
