The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Volleyball Matches Up With Memphis, Wednesday
11/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 23, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The UAB volleyball team will play its final regular season game of 2011 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT against Conference USA foe Memphis inside Bartow Arena.
UAB (23-8, 13-6 C-USA) | Memphis (19-13, 8-11 C-USA)
THE UAB RUNDOWN
The Blazers captured a pair of road victories over the weekend, defeating ECU (3-0) and Marshall (3-1). UAB has earned 13 C-USA wins in 2011, tied for the most in program history.
UAB swept the Tigers in an earlier meeting this season on Sept. 20, but trail in the all-time series, 19-32.
UAB LEADERS
Kills: Sam Serley, 275
Hitting Percentage: Sam Serley, .351
Assists: Alison Woods, 662 | Becca Howard, 511
Service Aces: Heather Thomas, 26
Digs: Heather Thomas, 601
Blocks: Sam Serley, 149
MESSERSMITH MAGIC
In her sixth season with the Blazers, head coach Kerry Messersmith’s squad has produced one of the best seasons under her watch. UAB is just one win (24 total) shy of tying for the second-most victories since joining C-USA in 1995.
JUST 7 SHY
Senior Heather Thomas is just seven digs shy of breaking her own single season digs record at UAB. The Madison, Ala. native set the current record of 607 during the 2010 season. Thomas owns three of the top four season dig totals in program lore.
- Heather Thomas, 2010 – 607
- Heather Thomas, 2011 – 601
- Briana Galvin, 2006 – 592
- Heather Thomas, 2009 – 586
BLOCK PARTY
Sam Serley’s 149 total blocks in 2011 rank tied for sixth all-time in UAB history, needing five to move into top-5 in a season. She also ranks third in blocks assists in a year, with 118, trailing only Terri Steeb (142; 1996) and Hailey Isham (134; 1997).
MEMPHIS REPORT
The Tigers have been hot as of late in league play, winning four of their last five matches and are just a victory away from reaching the 20-win plateau.
The Memphis offense has been impressive all season, as the team is hitting at a .239 clip with four players totaling over 200. Topping the team is senior outside hitter Altrese Hawkins, who averages 4.37 kills per set, which ranks second in the conference.
Setting up all those kills has been setter Hajnalka Molnar, who has totaled 1,378 assists for a season average of 11.78 per set.
MEMPHIS LEADERS
Kills: Altrese Hawkins, 511
Hitting Percentage: Altrese Hawkins, .284
Assists: Hajnalka Molnar, 1,378
Service Aces: Hajnalka Molnar, 41
Digs: Aleksandra Petronijevic, 411
Blocks: Katie Meyer, 96
