The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Winthrop
Blazers Cage Winthrop Eagles, 3-0
9/7/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Live Stats vs. South Carolina || Live Stats vs. Clemson
COLUMBIA, S.C. ---- Setter Alison Woods reached a career milestone and libero Rachel Fairbanks posted a match-high 21 digs as the UAB volleyball team swept Winthrop, 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-20) on Friday afternoon in the Blazers first match of the Carolina Clash hosted by South Carolina.
UAB (5-4) has now won four straight matches and will play both South Carolina (10 a.m. CT) and Clemson (4 p.m. CT) on Saturday to close out tournament play.
Winthrop dropped to 3-5 on the season with the loss.
Woods became just the fourth player in UAB history to reach 3,000 career assists when she set up classmate Kirsten Gallagher for a kill in the second set. She ended the match with 12 helpers and four digs in the victory.
The Blazer attack has continued to show great balance as five players recorded five or more kills, led by Ally Slaughter’s eight on 21 swings with only one error (.333). Kiriana Hirini was also an offensive weapon, connecting seven times on 10 swings without making an error for a match-best .700 hitting clip.
Woods’ setting partner, Becca Howard chipped in with a solid stat line of her own, posting her first double-double of the season, recording a match-high 17 assists along with 11 digs.
The opening frame was nip-and-tuck affair, as the Blazers fell into a late four-point hole, 18-14. However, UAB battled back and took the lead, 22-21, when Sam Skinner and Hirini teamed up for a block. The final nail in the coffin was an ace from Fairbanks to claim the opening stanza, 25-22.
Hirini highlighted the late comeback for the Blazers, going a perfect 5-for-5 on attacks.
The late surge in set one clearly carried over in the second frame as UAB caged the Eagles, taking the set, 25-15. Winthrop was held to a negative attacking percentage, -.067, in the stanza.
UAB jumped out to a commanding 6-0 lead in what turned out to be the last set of the night. Slaughter connected for six of her eight kills and Fairbanks recorded nine of her 21 digs in the set as the Blazers captured their third three-game sweep over their last four matches.
