The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Tulane
Blazers Outlast Tulane In Five, Win 10th Straight
9/30/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 30, 2011
NEW ORLEANS ---- The UAB (14-2, 4-0 C-USA) volleyball team outlasted Tulane 3-2 (25-20, 25-22, 22-25, 16-25, 15-12) at Fogelman Arena on Friday night in Conference USA action. Sam Serley posted a season-high 16 kills as the win marked the 10th in a row for the Blazers.
After capturing the first two sets, UAB hit a lull dropping the third and fourth frames to send the game to the all important fifth set. It was the first time the Blazers competed in a match that lasted five sets since their last loss, versus Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 3.
Serley really shined when her team needed it the most, rocketing five kills of the team's 15 points in the deciding set on six swings with no errors.
To go along with her season-high kill total, Serley produced the best hitting clip of her collegiate career. The Nashville, Tenn. native hit .750 for the match, making just one error on 20 attacks in a 16-kill performance. The middle blocker added two solo blocks to her stat line.
"In the fourth set we really struggled siding out against [Tulane]," head coach Kerry Messersmith said. "We just couldn't put a ball down. It was our offense that really stepped up, that was the key for us. Our kids came out very, very determined to win the match in the fifth set.
Alison Woods (30a, 10d), Becca Howard (19a, 12d), Kate Morrell (13k, 14d) and Ally Slaughter (10k, 13d) all produced double-doubles for the Blazers. UAB has totaled 23 double-double performances this season, led by Woods who has accomplished the statistical feat on seven occasions.
The Blazers totaled 14 team blocks, seven solo and 14 assists, led by Kiriana Hirini off the bench. The New Zealand native stoned the Green Wave for five blocks (two solo, three assists). Kirsten Gallagher, Ashley Ricks and Slaughter each blocked four balls, respectively.
After struggling mightily in the fourth set on the attacking end, hitting .079 as team, the Blazers rebounded in the fifth stanza. Behind Serley's strong effort in the middle, UAB hit .321 as a club, nailing down 12 kills on 28 attempts with three miscues to claim the five set victory.
Tulane (5-9, 0-3) received 18-kill performances from Anna Wruck and Cori Martone, while libero Nikki Osuna added a match-best 27 digs in the loss
NEXT UP: UAB returns to the court on Sunday with a trip to Hattiesburg, Miss. to play the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
