The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Travels To Ole Miss For Magnolia Invitational
9/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 3, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Fresh off a win in Tuesday's home opener, the UAB volleyball team hits the road again this weekend for four matches in Oxford, Miss., at the Magnolia Invitational hosted by Ole Miss.
The Blazers are slated to play two contests Friday, taking on Alcorn State in the opening match at 9 a.m. and battling Akron at 5 p.m. The Blazers then return to the court for two more matches Saturday, squaring off against Wisconsin-Milwaukee at 2:30 p.m. before closing the invitational with a 7:30 p.m. match against Ole Miss.
Live stats will be available for all matches this weekend online at www.olemisssports.com.
UAB is 2-1 on the season after Tuesday's victory over Jacksonville State, in which freshman setter Alison Woods recorded a double-double with 37 assists and 14 digs. The Blazers have relied on a balanced offensive attack in the early part of the season with five players averaging 1.89 kills per set or better, led by senior outside hitter Andrea Lalic at 2.60.
Another key for UAB has been the team's defense at the net. The Blazers have out-blocked the opposing team in all three matches and own 27 blocks on the season compared to 12 for their opponents. Patty Paniagua has been the UAB blocks leader with 1.45 per set.
Three of UAB's opponents have been off since last weekend. Akron (3-1) picked up three wins in its opening weekend at Indiana State's Best Western Sycamore Classic. Milwaukee (0-2) dropped a pair of matches last weekend to 13th-ranked Iowa State. And Ole Miss (1-2) won its first match last Friday against Texas State before dropping the next two at Missouri's Tiger Invitational.
Alcorn State (0-1) opened its season Tuesday night with a 3-0 loss at Southeastern Louisiana.
Ole Miss is the only opponent at the Magnolia Invitational that UAB has played more than once in series history. Saturday's meeting will be the 25th all-time between the two programs, including a 3-0 sweep last season for UAB in the most recent match-up.
UAB has played Alcorn State once previously, earning a 3-0 sweep back in 2006. Akron and Wisconsin-Milwaukee will both be first-time opponents for the Blazers.
This weekend's matches are the first in a stretch off 11 in a row away from home for UAB. The Blazers will not play at Bartow Arena again until a Sept. 22 tilt with Middle Tennessee.
