The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Troy
Blazers Cruise Friday To 3-0 Sweep Of Tulsa
10/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 17, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB volleyball team continued to roll Friday night with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-12, 25-16) sweep of Tulsa at Bartow Arena.
The Blazers improved to 17-3 overall and maintained the top spot in the Conference USA standings by running their league record to 7-1 at the halfway point of the conference season.
UAB has now won 11 consecutive matches, dating back to a Sept. 19 sweep of Alabama A&M. The 11 straight wins marks the program's longest winning streak since the Blazers won 13 in a row near the end of the 2006 season. After dropping the first two matches of the season, UAB has won 17 of its past 18 contests.
In Friday's win, the Blazers turned in perhaps their best offensive performance of the season. UAB posted a team attack percentage of .446 compared to a percentage of .170 for Tulsa.
Ivana Bozic led the way for UAB with 14 kills, while Andrea Lalic also finished in double-figures with 11 kills. Setter Nevena Stefanov ran the offense with 39 assists, and Aleksandra Vujovic managed a match-high 10 digs.
The first set was close throughout, but UAB pulled away at the end. With the score tied 20-20, the Blazers tallied five of the next six points to gain a 1-0 lead in the match. A pair of kills from Lilly Domingos mixed in with three Tulsa attack errors put the set away.
Domingos, along with teammate Casey Dent, finished the contest with eight kills. Dent led the Blazers with three blocks.
Over the final two sets Friday, UAB dominated much of the action. The Blazers jumped out to a 15-5 lead and cruised to a 13-point victory in the second set. As a measure of how well UAB has played recently, Friday's second set was the seventh set in the past five matches that the Blazers have won by at least 10 points.
UAB then controlled the third set, as well. Tulsa closed the gap to 18-16 late in the frame, but the Blazers rattled off seven consecutive points and shut the door on a kill from Dent to close the match.
UAB returns to action Sunday at home with a noon CT match against SMU. Friday's contest was the first of six in a row for the Blazers at Bartow Arena.
