The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Albany
Serving Difference Costs Blazer Volleyball In Loss To Albany
9/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 10, 2010
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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Four UAB volleyball players finished with double-figure kills Friday, but a major serving differential proved costly in the Blazers' 3-1 (25-23, 25-18, 19-25, 25-21) loss to Albany on the opening day of the Middle Tennessee Invitational.
Sam Serley and Michelle Uzoh notched 15 kills each for UAB, while Jordan McDonald added 14 and Kate Morrell managed 10. As a team, the Blazers (2-5) finished with 65 kills compared to 55 for Albany (4-3).
But that was not enough to make up the 12 extra free points the Great Danes picked up in the serving game. Albany racked up 10 aces on the night and had only two service errors. UAB, on the other hand, committed eight service errors to just four aces.
The Blazers will be back in action with two more matches Saturday at Alumni Memorial Gym, squaring off against host Middle Tennessee at 10:30 a.m. and returning to the court at 7:30 p.m. to face Arkansas.
In Friday's match, Albany's Teresa Coppiellie led all players with 17 kills, followed by teammate Casey Wright with 16. Laurie Gonzalez finished with a match-high 30 digs for the Great Danes.
UAB, though, had four players reach double-digit digs, led by libero Heather Thomas with 19. McDonald added 16 digs to her 14 kills for her first double-double of the season, and setter Alison Woods posted 12 digs along with 47 assists for her first double-double.
After dropping the first two sets, UAB came out and played its best volleyball in the third frame. The Blazers hit for a .378 percentage in the third on the way to a six-point win. Albany, however, responded with its best set in the fourth, hitting .387 to close out the match.
