The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
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UTEP
Blazers Sweep UTEP to Win Fifth Straight
10/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 29, 2006
EL PASO, Texas - The UAB volleyball team defeated UTEP, 3-0 (30-28, 30-23, 30-22) on Sunday to improve to 19-9 (6-6 C-USA) and run its current winning streak to five. The Blazers' 19 wins this season are the most for a UAB team since 1995 when the team posted 21 victories. Sophomore outside hitter Aleksandra Vujovic led the Blazers on Sunday with her ninth double-double of the season with 14 kills and 10 digs.
Vujovic (.310) was one of four Blazers to hit .300 or better against the Miners as sophomore middle blocker Casey Dent (.353), junior outside hitter Fernanda Domingos (.333) and junior middle blocker Shaniquwa Cooper (.333) all had standout hitting performances. UAB had an impressive team hitting percentage of .302.
Sophomore outside hitter Ivana Bozic had a match-high 17 kills to go along with seven digs, while Domingos put away 11 kills. Sophomore setter Nevena Stefanov moved up to fifth place all-time at UAB in career assists with her 47 helpers against the Miners. She now has 2,525 assists for her career, moving her past Patti Schroder.
Junior libero Brianna Galvin capped off her impressive weekend with 16 digs, while Dent continued her great play since returning from injury a week ago, finishing with seven kills and four blocks.
After winning two key Conference USA road matches this weekend, UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith expressed how pleased she was with her teams play as of late.
"We had a great weekend on the road and in conference," she said. "For us to hit over .300 in consecutive Conference USA matches is a great accomplishment. Both our blocking and our defense are picking up and our offense is really clicking."
UTEP, who falls to 5-19 (1-9 C-USA) with the loss, was led by Keisha Hyman-Gifth who hit .429 with 13 kills, while Amy Sanders had 12 kills and five digs. Katie Smith finished with 34 assists and Elsa Reyes had 14 digs in the defensive effort.
The Blazers found themselves in an early hole against the Miners as a Sanders kill gave UTEP a 10-6 advantage in game one. Later, a Christine Sanchez ace built the Miners' lead to five, 17-12, before a pair of UTEP attack errors made it 17-15. UAB eventually closed the gap, tying the opening frame at 20-20 on a kill by Cooper.
Shortly thereafter, UAB grabbed the lead, 24-23, after back-to-back kills by Vujovic and then earned a game-point after a Bozic kill. With Bozic serving, UTEP committed an attack error to give UAB the 30-28 victory in game one. The win moved the Blazers' season record in game ones to 23-5.
UAB used its momentum generated by the late charge in game one two jump out to a 10-4 lead in the second game following a kill by Vujovic. Continuing to pull away, Bozic put away another kill to give UAB a 16-10 lead.
Still moving towards taking a 2-0 lead in the match, Vujovic put away another point to make it 25-19. The Blazers went on to close out the game, 30-23, on a kill by Dent.
The Miners did not go away, however as they took a 10-7 lead in the third game on a kill by Casey McAnelly but the Blazers did not surrender control of the match, coming back to take a 15-14 lead after an attack error on the Miners. UAB would rally to win five-straight points, capped off by a Vujovic kill to take a 19-14 lead.
UAB did not trail again, with the Blazers once again rallying off five-straight points to take a 28-20 lead following a Stefanov ace. UAB went on to close out the game, 30-22, after a Cooper kill to give it a 3-0 victory over the Miners.
Messersmith said now she hopes her team can return home and have a great week of practice to get ready for their final two home matches of the season, next weekend.
"We need to go back and get ready for East Carolina and Marshall who are both top four teams in our conference," she said.
The Blazers will next be in action when they host their "Dig for the Cure" night on Friday as they take on East Carolina at 7 p.m. in Bartow Arena.
