The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Milwaukee
UAB Defeats Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Falls To Ole Miss In Five
9/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 5, 2009
Box Score: UAB vs. Milwaukee | PDF Box Score 
Box Score: UAB vs. Ole Miss |
PDF Box Score
OXFORD, Miss. -- Five-set matches were the theme of the day for the UAB volleyball team Saturday on the second day of the Magnolia Invitational as the Blazers split a pair of matches for the second day in a row.
UAB went the distance in both of its matches, defeating Wisconsin-Milwaukee in its first contest and falling to tournament host Ole Miss in the nightcap.
Senior middle blocker Patty Paniagua, who tallied 12 total blocks on the day, and sophomore libero Heather Thomas, who logged 50 digs over the two matches, were both named to the all-tournament team.
After going 2-2 at this weekend's invitational, UAB is now 4-3 on the season. The Blazers return to action next weekend at the Saluki Invitational hosted by Southern Illinois.
"This was a very competitive weekend, and it was a good weekend for us even though we're coming away 2-2," UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith said. "We learned a lot and saw a lot of positive things from our team."
UAB 3, Wisconsin-Milwaukee 2
In its first match of the day, UAB defeated Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3-2 (25-19, 27-29, 27-25, 21-25, 15-9).
Freshman middle blocker Sam Serley led UAB with a career-high 18 kills and a career-best nine total blocks while hitting at a .417 rate. Paniagua and Jordan McDonald each added seven blocks as the Blazers out-blocked Milwaukee, 18-6, as a team.
"Even though we've been successful, those blocking numbers are something we haven't seen in the past few years," Messersmith said. "We continue to get really strong play from our middles, and that's maybe the most positive thing we take away from this weekend."
Serley's former club teammate, setter Alison Woods, recorded her third double-double in the UAB win. The Franklin, Tenn., product racked up 53 assists and logged 13 digs in the win. Sophomore libero Heather Thomas led all players with 28 digs, topping her previous career-high by nine.
After Milwaukee (1-5) won the fourth set to even the match at two sets apiece, UAB raced to a 5-0 lead in the fifth frame. The Blazers utilized three Milwaukee errors, an Andrea Lalic ace and a block from Serley and McDonald. UAB then stretched its lead to eight points on three occasions, the last time at 14-6. Milwaukee fought off three match points before Savannah Pegg's career-best 15th kill finished off the match.
Lalic finished as the third Blazer in double-figure kills with 13. As a team, UAB out-hit Milwaukee .232 to .179 for the match.
Milwaukee had four players reach double-digit kills, led by Maddie Sueppel and Jena Berg with 16 each. Samantha Trawitzke finished with a match-best 54 assists for the Panthers, and Lauren Felsing led the team with 22 digs.
Ole Miss 3, UAB 2
In the nightcap, playing its third consecutive five-setter, UAB fell to Ole Miss, 3-2 (25-27, 25-19, 25-27, 25-22, 15-10).
Despite the loss, the strong blocking continued as the Blazers totaled 11 as a team. Paniagua and Serley were each in on five blocks, individually. Ole Miss, however, managed 16 total blocks, becoming the first team this season to out-block the Blazers. Miranda Kitts finished with eight total blocks for the Rebels.
Ole Miss attacker Katie Norris led all players with 25 kills, while Lalic led UAB with 15 and Paniagua added 13. Woods managed yet another double-double, her fourth in the past five matches, with 47 assists and 11 digs.
UAB took two of the first three sets, but Ole Miss (5-2) responded to win the fourth and force a decisive fifth set. UAB grabbed an early 4-1 lead, but the Rebels scored three straight to knot things up at 4-4. A kill from Caitlin Weiss on the next play gave Ole Miss the lead, and it never trailed again.
Weiss finished with 12 kills, and Regina Thomas had 14 for Ole Miss. The Rebels' Morgan Springer posted a match-high 27 digs.
For UAB, Thomas added 22 more digs, and Aley Tallman had 21. MacKenzie Wilson, who opened the year as part of a rotation at setter, moved into a defensive role this weekend and finished Saturday night's match with seven digs.
"Heather has turned the corner and really developed into a presence in the back row, both passing and playing defense," Messersmith said. "MacKenzie brings so much to the floor as a leader and in terms of energy. She really made a difference in our defense this weekend."
