The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
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UNF Tournament
Blazers Wrap Up At UNF Invitational
4/2/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
April 2, 2012
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. ---- The UAB sand volleyball team concluded play at the UNF Invitational, finishing sixth of seven teams in the pool play on Saturday before putting forth a strong effort in Sunday's bracket format.
The Blazers return to the UAB Sand Volleyball Courts this Friday, when the Tulane Green Wave comes to Birmingham. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT.
After finishing 11-19 in pool play, the Blazers rebounded and performed extremely well in bracket play in day two of the tournament. In the bracket portion of the tournament, UAB posted a record of 8-7 with a team advancing to the Silver and Bronze Bracket finals.
"I was really proud of how the girls played all weekend," head coach Hal Messersmith said. "We struggled a little in pool play, but we were fantastic on Sunday in bracket play."
The Blazers sent two pairs to Sunday's Gold Bracket, which featured the top 16 groups of the tournament.
Kiriana Hirini and Rachel Fairbanks finished Saturday with the best record in pool play for the Blazers at 6-2. In the Gold Bracket, the tandem advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating College of Charleston's Elyse Chub and Lizzie Theesfeld in straight sets in dominant fashion, 21-11 and 21-16.
In the quarterfinals, Hirini and Fairbanks lost a heartbreaker to Jacksonville's Kendall Courtney and Cari Witmire in three sets, 21-16, 16-21 and 22-20.
UAB's Heather Thomas and Kirsten Gallagher also advanced to the Gold Bracket, but dropped their match to Florida State's Visnja Djurdjevic and Melanie Pavels in straight sets, 21-17 and 21-12. Thomas and Gallagher went 3-3 in pool play on Saturday.
The Blazers had two pairs compete in the Silver Bracket in Sam Serley/Alison Woods and Kate Morrell/Ally Slaughter.
Serley and Woods advanced all the way to the championship of the bracket, before falling to Hawaii's Nordyke/Uiato, 2-0 (24-22, 21-18). Serley and Woods steamrolled their way to the finals, claiming three matches in straight sets before being outlasted by the Warriors.
Morrell and Slaughter almost faced Serley and Woods in the Silver Bracket Championship, but fell one match short. In a semifinal contest against Hawaii, Morrell and Slaughter lost in three sets, 19-21, 21-19 and 15-12.
Rounding out Sunday, was the Bronze Bracket, in which Becca Howard and Michele Simmons also advanced to the championship match. The duo was clipped by College of Charleston's Davis/Warren, 2-0 (21-8, 21-10).
