The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
East Carolina
UAB Goes The Distance To Top East Carolina, 3-2
10/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 15, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Freshmen Ivana Bozic and Aleksandra Vujovic combined for 41 kills and sophomore Nicole Bowland had a career-high 23 digs as the UAB volleyball team rebounded for a 3-2 victory over East Carolina Saturday evening at Bartow Arena. The Pirates (12-8, 3-4 C-USA) fought off two elimination games, but the Blazers (12-4, 3-3 C-USA) were able to rally in the fifth and deciding game and came away with the win, improving to 3-0 in five-game matches this season.
"It was nice to see us come back and win that fifth game because it shows our heart," said UAB co-interim head coach Allison Magner. "I was very impressed with our defense tonight, especially Nicole Bowland who helped carry the team with her energy."
UAB opened the match strong with a 30-24 victory in game number one. Vujovic led all players with 7 kills while Bowland came up with eight digs. As a team, the Blazers hit .311 compared to just .175 by the Pirates.
Game two saw much of the same, but this time it was freshman Casey Dent leading the way for UAB with six kills and a .455 hitting percentage. The score was tied as late as 20-20, but Bozic contributed three kills and one service ace from that point on, helping the Blazers capture a 30-26 victory and take a commanding lead in the match.
But East Carolina came out focused in game three, cruising to a 30-22 win. The Blazers hit just .100 as a team while the Pirates committed just three attack errors. Vujovic and East Carolina's Pam Ferris led all players with four kills in the game.
After the Pirates held on and evened the match with a 30-28 win in game four, UAB again found its rhythm in the fifth game. Five Isabel Oquendo kills on the game's first nine points helped stake the Blazers to a 7-2 advantage. East Carolina was forced to call its second timeout with UAB leading 11-4, and the Pirates got within five points of the lead at 12-7, but the Blazers were too strong. A Bozic kill, followed by a Bozic ace gave UAB match point and Vujovic finished off the evening with her 20th kill of the night, sending Blazer fans home happy.
Bozic led all players with 21 kills in the match and added 10 digs. Vujovic finished with a 20-kill, 16-dig double-double performance, while Dent (12 kills, .360 hitting percentage) and Oquendo (18 kills, .359 hitting percentage) also came up big for UAB. Bowland was all over the court for the Blazers, racking up a career-best 23 digs to lead all players. East Carolina was led by Pam Ferris who contributed 17 kills and 18 digs.
The Blazers return to action with three C-USA road matches next week. UAB travels to Rice on Thursday at 2 p.m. for a make-up match before heading to SMU on Friday and Tulsa Sunday.
