The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Open Conference Play Thursday At Memphis
9/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 16, 2009
UAB vs. Memphis Gametracker | Tiger Invitational Homepage
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB volleyball team will play four matches in the next three days, starting with Thursday's Conference USA opener at Memphis.
The Blazers (5-5) travel to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse for a 7 p.m. first serve Thursday against the Tigers (2-8) in the first league match for both teams.
UAB will then remain in Memphis the next two days for the Tiger Invitational, which the Blazers open Friday at 4:30 p.m. against UALR. On Saturday, UAB is scheduled to meet New Orleans at 10 a.m. and Samford at 4:30 p.m.
UAB has opened its C-USA schedule against Memphis seven times, more than any other opponent, in the 14-year history of the league. The Tigers have won six of those meetings, including victories in each of the past two conference openers.
UAB managed a measure of revenge by defeating Memphis on its home floor late last season after losing its first conference match to the Tigers in Birmingham. Andrea Lalic had 10 kills and hit for a .318 percentage in the 3-0 UAB win.
Lalic paces the current Blazer squad with 3.14 kills per set, while freshman setter Alison Woods runs the UAB offense with 9.29 assists per frame. Libero Heather Thomas, who has earned all-tournament honors in tournaments the past two weekends, leads the team defensively with 4.23 digs per set.
Memphis picked up its first wins of the season last weekend, going 2-1 at Western Kentucky's Lady Topper Invitational with victories over Northern Illinois and Tennessee State. Outside hitter Kaitlin Inglish owns a team-best 2.90 kills per set for Memphis, while Becky Shaffer averages 4.71 digs per set defensively.
Following the Memphis match, UAB will play in its fourth and final tournament of the regular season. Here is a look at the Blazers' competition at the Tiger Invitational:
UALR
Record: 5-3; All-Time Series: UAB trails 1-0; Last Meeting: UALR won 3-2 (Sept. 23, 2004)
New Orleans
Record: 4-5; All-Time Series: UAB leads 6-4; Last Meeting: UAB won 3-1 (Sept. 16, 2006)
Samford
Record: 3-6; All-Time Series: UAB leads 25-1; Last Meeting: UAB won 3-0 (Sept. 6, 2005)
Last season, UAB won three of the four matches it played in Memphis. In addition to the regular-season victory over the Tigers, the Blazers also defeated Marshall and Rice at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse in the Conference USA tournament before falling to Tulane in the championship match.
