The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Saint Louis
Blazers Fall in Four to Saint Louis
11/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 6, 2004
Birmingham, Ala.-- Despite a season-high hitting percentage, the UAB volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Saint Louis Saturday evening in Bartow Arena in the Blazers' final home match of the 2004 season. The Blazers are now 1-22 overall, 0-11 in C-USA while the Billikens improve to 5-6 and 13-15.
UAB was led by Nicole Bowland's career-best 18-kill performance. The freshman from San Jose, Calif. also added nine digs to go along with a .300 hitting percentage. Isabel Oquendo also played strong, recording a double-double with 12 kills and ten digs. Saturday's match also marked just the fifth time all season that three Blazers have recorded double-digit kill performances. Cassi Ociesa put away 12 kills to go along with a team best 2.5 blocks.
Saint Louis' Kayla Kmitta hit .467 and led all players with 19 kills while setter Erin McClanahan notched 61 assists.
"I've been very pleased with some individual performances lately, " said UAB head coach Melinda Claiborne. "Some players like Nicole Bowland make my job very easy. She's gotten consistent results and that's what I've preached all year, that consistent effort will bring results. It was nice tonight to see Cassi (Ociesa) come on and give a little more of an offensive effort. It was also nice to see Meredith Jones come in and contribute the way she did. It's the last week of the season and some people are going to have an opportunity to show what they are made of. We're starting to play better and I think we have a chance to get some wins. Its just disappointing when we got flat after that first game."
The Blazers started strong in game one, jumping out to a 19-14 lead at the first timeout break thanks to three kills by Bowland and two each by Ociesa and Shaniquwa Cooper. Saint Louis closed the gap slightly, but a service ace by Ociesa in addition to a block by Cooper and Angie Ping helped UAB to a 27-23 advantage late in the game. Leading 29-25, Bowland's team-best fifth kill of the game gave the Blazers an early 1-0 lead, their first since Oct. 5 against Mercer.
The Billikens bounced back with a 30-24 win in the second game to even the match at one. Saint Louis was led by Kayla Kmitta's six kills on six attempts while Oquendo set the pace offensively for the Blazers with five kills and two service aces.
Game three went UAB's way in the early going. Two consecutive Bowland putaways extended the Blazers' lead to 8-3 and forced Saint Louis head coach Anne Kordes to call a timeout. But the Billikens responded, taking 11 of the next 14 points to regain a 14-11 lead. The teams continued battling back and forth, but Saint Louis was too much to handle and grabbed a 30-24 victory in the third game.
Game four saw Saint Louis continue to use the momentum it had built in the previous two games. Despite nine combined kills for the Blazers from Bowland, Oquendo and Ociesa, Saint Louis finished off the match with a decisive 30-21 vicctory.
The Blazers return to action next Friday, Nov. 12 when they travel to New Orleans for a 7 p.m. (CT) match at Tulane. UAB then takes on Southern Miss Saturday evening in Hattiesburg.
