The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Volleyball Geared Up For Pittsburgh Invitational
9/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 6, 2007
Match Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB volleyball team journeys to the east coast this weekend for the Pittsburgh Invitational. The Blazers, 4-2 on the year, will begin play on Friday at 9:30 a.m. CT against Buffalo before coming back to challenge host Pittsburgh at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, the team will face George Mason at 10 a.m.
UAB comes into the Pittsburgh Invitational having lost two straight matches for the first time since Oct. 15, 2006. Since then, the Blazers have won 17 of their last 20 matches.
The Blazers went 1-2 at the Bama Bash last weekend, beating Alabama, 3-2, before losing to Illinois State, 3-1, and Sacramento State, 3-0. Against Alabama, senior libero Brianna Galvin had 27 digs to lead the Blazers, a performance that earned her Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week Honors.
"I'm looking for us to come out and pass better and play with more emotion this weekend," said UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith. "This is another opportunity for us to beat some quality opponents and we have to take advantage of that."
Junior outside hitter Ivana Bozic leads the team with 4.83 kills and 3.83 digs per game. Senior outside hitter Fernanda Domingos has also been explosive offensively, averaging 3.63 kills per game.
Galvin is averaging a team-best 4.43 digs per game and needs eight digs this weekend to move up to sixth all-time at UAB in career digs.
Junior middle blocker Casey Dent has hit better than .300 in five of the team's six contests this season and was named to the Bama Bash All-Tournament Team last weekend. For the year, Dent is averaging 2.33 kills and 0.75 blocks per game.
Buffalo enters the weekend with a record of 1-7 after losing to Albany, 3-1, last Sunday. The Bulls are paced by Richelle Bigelow and her 2.50 kills and 2.90 digs per game. A total of four players are averaging 2.00 kills per game or better.
Lindsey Schlegel runs the Buffalo offense and is averaging 8.26 assists per game to along with her 2.63 digs per game on the defensive end. UAB leads the all-time series with Buffalo, 1-0.
George Mason brings its 4-2 record to the Pittsburgh Invitational after winning the Brion's Grille Invitational by beating Howard and Lehigh last weekend.
Rebecca Walter owns a club-best 4.05 kills per game to go with a 1.90 digs per game clip. Jaqueline Kobler is second on the team with 3.60 kills per game, while averaging 3.60 digs per game.
Fernanda Bartels runs the Patriot offense and is averaging 10.44 assists per game, while Kristen Byler is the backbone of the Mason defense with 3.47 digs per game.
George Mason leads the all-time series with the Blazers, 1-0. Pittsburgh begins play this weekend with a record of 2-5 having played a very formidable schedule. The Panthers were able to pick up a 3-0 victory against Duquesne on Tuesday to enter the weekend on the high note.
Kelly Campbell is averaging a team-best 4.12 kills and 2.84 digs per game this season, while Diana Andreyko holds a 3.88 kills per game average to go along with 2.52 digs per game.
Emily Burke commands the Panther offense and is averaging 13.18 assists per game, while Michelle Rossi holds a 4.42 digs per game average to lead the team defensively.
Meagan Dooley is the team's leading blocker at 0.88 per game.
Pittsburgh leads the all-time series with UAB, 3-1.
