The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
4-24,2-14AAC
Temple University
16-11,6-9AAC
Blazers Fall to Temple in Five Sets
11/10/2023 9:53:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
PHILADELPHIA – UAB Volleyball fell to the Temple Owls in a five-setter on Friday evening in Philadelphia. The Blazers, who rallied back to force a fourth set, dropped the fifth and final set 13-15.
Freshmen Jorda Crook and Mia Reese led the team in kills, being the sole two Blazers in double-digits. Kelsey Smith also posted a double-double in the Blazers' third straight five-set match of the season.
IN THE SETS
The Blazers entered the first set behind 0-2 before a Kelsey Smith kill ended the run on the Owls' end. The Blazers would trail through the duration of the first set before an 8-2 run before tying the score at 13 and eventually taking the lead 17-15. The Green and Gold maintained the lead before Temple tied at 20 but UAB continued the momentum, taking advantage of kills from Asli Celikkol to collect the set 25-23.
In sets two and three, Temple entered with an early lead before UAB took the lead after a solo block from Mia Reese. The Green and Gold continued their run before Temple found momentum to take a 13-9 lead and continue despite a run to tie at 15. The set would stay within a two-point margin before the Owls took set two. They continued this run after a series of kills, holding UAB to eight points before doubling the score to 20-10. With Temple holding UAB to a hitting percentage of .151, the Owls would be up 2-1 after a 25-15 win.
The fourth set saw Temple lead UAB by five before the Green and Gold responded with a 5-0 run to get within two. The Blazers allowed only one more kill before another run gave the Green and Gold the edge by a point. The Blazers maintained the lead, tying once after a 3-0 run to deadlock at 18 before Temple responded with four points to UAB's two to lead 22-20. This would not be enough to claim the match for the Owls, with five errors giving the Blazers set four.
The fifth and final set saw the Blazers lead 7-1 to start, adding one more kill to switch sides. With a score of 8-3, Temple eased back into the set with a 6-1 run to tie the match at nine. UAB continued to hold onto the lead before errors plagued the Green and Gold in a 5-0 run. With Temple at a match point, the Blazers kept themselves in it with a kill from Mia Reese and an attack error. However, the match came to an end with a Temple kill.
IN THE BOX
- Two Blazers finished with double-digit kills on the evening, both freshmen. Mia Reese and Jorda Crook finished with 13 and 15 kills, with Crook setting a new career-high.
- Kelsey Smith finished with a double-double, totaling 32 assists and 13 digs. Smith also finished with a career-high in assists.
- As a team, the Blazers outhit Temple in two sets. The Green and Gold also totaled fewer attack errors than the Owls, with 17 to Temple's 23.
- The match saw 26 ties and 14 lead changes.
UP NEXT
UAB returns to action on Saturday at 1 p.m. CST to finish the Temple series.
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