The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Southeastern Louisiana
UAB Defeats Southeastern Louisiana, 3-2
8/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB volleyball team earned its first win of the season with a 3-2 victory over Southeastern Louisiana in the home opener Friday morning. The Blazers are now 1-0 in the UAB/Samford Tournament.
UAB was down early as the Lions won the first set 25-22. The Blazers rallied to win the next two sets, 25-14, 25-23 to take a 2-1 lead heading into the break.
It was a close fourth set, as the two teams were tied at 24-24 but Southeastern Louisiana was able to rattle off two-straight points to take the win and force a deciding fifth set.
The Blazers remained poised and jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the fifth set. They never trailed and closed out the set with a 12-4 run to cap off the 3-2 win.
Senior Sara Rishell led the team with 17 kills and sophomore Gabby Deshotel added 11 kills. Freshman Gabbi Moreno made her debut at setter for the Blazers with a career-best 47 assists.
Fellow freshman Alexi Howell started at libero and scooped up 17 digs to lead UAB. Senior Bethanie Thomas also reached double digit digs with 11.
For the Lions, Tiffany Thomas led the team with 15 kills and Parrie Hartley added 13.
UAB finished the day with 15 team-blocks, led by senior Leslie Ekpe’s nine block assists. The Blazers also finished with eight service aces, with Moreno, Thomas and Emma Schroer each recording two.
UAB will be back in action tonight when it hosts No. 16 Michigan State at 7 p.m. CT in Bartow Arena.
