The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Volleyball Hosts Houston, Rice To Start C-USA Play
9/20/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 20, 2012
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- After competing in four tournaments and a total of 14 contests, 13 coming on the road, the Blazers open up Conference USA action with a pair of home matches inside Bartow Arena. The Blazers welcome two schools from the state of Texas in the Houston Cougars (Friday, 7 p.m. CT) and the Rice Owls (Sunday, 1 p.m. CT) to begin league play.
UAB Scouting Report (6-8,0-0)
• The Blazers are coming off a 1-2 weekend at the Active Ankle Challenge hosted by the Purdue Boilermakers. UAB dropped a four-set match to Bowling Green, fell in three sets to No. 14 Purdue prior to sweeping in-state foe Jacksonville State.
• The Blazers have showcased one of the top blocking front lines in the conference, averaging 2.39 blocks per set for the season, tops in Conference USA.
• Five UAB players are averaging better than half a block per set, spearheaded by senior middle blocker Sam Serley. The Nashville, Tenn., native is swatting 1.27 blocks per set, ranking second in the league.
• As a squad, UAB is hitting at a .201 clip and holding opponents to just a .193 average. When not doing her part blocking opponents, Sam Serley has also been putting away kills at an extremely efficient rate. She leads C-USA in hitting percentage at .383 (142k-34e-282ta).
• UAB has also showed the ability to corral digs as a team, ranking second in digs per set (15.71). Leading the back row has been junior libero Rachel Fairbanks, who leads the conference posting 4.75 digs per set.
Houston Scouting Report (1-10,0-1)
• The Cougars have had a tough go of it in 2012, starting 1-10, but have played one of the most daunting schedules in Conference USA. Houston’s lone win came in four sets against Lipscomb on Sept. 1.
• This past Tuesday, UH fell to cross-town foe, Rice, by a score of 3-0 to start off conference play for both clubs.
• Of UH’s 11 matches, five have come against top-25 teams, including playing the 21st-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on two occasions.
• Middle blocker Chandance Tyron has been a bright spot for the Cougars, hitting at a team-best .316 clip and averaging 2.83 kills and 0.82 blocks per set.
Rice Scouting Report (8-7,1-0)
• The Owls enter the weekend with a three-match win streak after defeating Houston, 3-0, on Tuesday night. Rice held the Cougars to under 16 points in each set.
• The offensive attack has been a primary strength for Rice in 2012. Prior to Tuesday, the Owls led the league in team hitting percentage at .240 and improved those numbers by recording a .277 team average vs. UH.
• Middle blocker Nancy Cole is hitting at a .332 clip and averaging 3.67 kills and 1.02 blocks per set.
• Rice setter Megan Murphy is averaging a league-best 11.22 assists per set and has captured C-USA Setter of the Week honors each of the last three weeks.
