The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Volleyball Hosts Rice on Senior Night
11/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
UAB (9-21, 1-14 C-USA) vs. Rice (20-10, 10-5 C-USA)
Details: Saturday, November 14 - 1 p.m. CT | Bartow Arena - Birmingham, Ala.
Game Coverage: Live Stats | Watch Live | Twitter | Match Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB volleyball team welcomes Rice to Bartow Arena Saturday for the Blazers’ 2015 season finale.
First serve from Bartow Arena is slated for 1 p.m. CT.
Saturday’s match is designated as Senior Day. UAB will honor its graduating Blazers, senior Sydney Nelson and redshirt junior Emma Schroer, in a special ceremony.
Live stats and live streaming will be available for tomorrow’s match at UABSports.com and can also be accessed in the links above. In-match updates will also be available on the UAB volleyball team Twitter page (@UAB_VB).
UAB Notes
Senior Send Off
Nelson and Schroer have made huge impacts throughout their careers as Blazers. Nelson has served as a staple to the UAB offense since transferring from Iowa Western Community College. The senior has totaled 280 kills while adding seven assists to the UAB offense. Defensively, Nelson has accounted for 91 total blocks.
Graduating redshirt junior Schroer has compiled a record season with 508 digs, eighth-most in a single season in program history. In her time at UAB, the libero has 820 career digs and 106 career assists.
Series History
Tuesday’s battle with be the 18th in program history between UAB and Rice. The Owls hold a slight advantage in the all-time series, 9-8. In matches held in Bartow Arena, the series is even at 4-all.
Last season, the Owls swept UAB in straight sets as Gabby Deshotel led the Blazers with 10 kills. Nelson added eight kills on a .368 hitting percentage.
The Blazers matched their season-high in three sets with six aces as Schroer added two. Schroer led the Blazers defensively with 17 digs. Haley Jared chipped in five digs for the Blazers.
Scouting the Opposition
Rice enters Saturday’s contest with a 20-10 overall record while sitting in fourth place in the C-USA standings with a 10-5 conference record.
The Owls faced stiff competition throughout tournament play, falling to No. 3 Texas, 3-0, in the season opener. Rice highlighted the non-conference schedule defeating No. 23 Colorado, 3-1.
Rice has dominated throughout conference play with six of its 10 wins coming in straight sets. Rice delivered No. 22 Western Kentucky its first and only loss in conference action, 3-2. The Owls enter Saturday’s contest after knocking off UTEP, 3-2, on Thursday.
Leah Mikesky leads the Owls’ attack with 441 kills while attacking at a .224 clip. The Rice offense features five hitters with 200 or more kills this season. Madison McDaniel carries the bulk of the work as Rice’s setter. McDaniel has totaled 946 assists this season to average 11 per set.
Rice is equally spread defensively with four Owls totaling 250 or more digs this season. Kimberly Viao leads the charge with 375. The Blazers will face a challenge at the net in Portia Okafor. The sophomore has accounted for 122 blocks this season.
For more information on the UAB volleyball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_VB). For more on all Blazer sports teams follow the official social media accounts of UAB Athletics on Twitter (@UABAthletics), on Facebook (Facebook.com/UAB.Blazers), on Instagram (@uabathletics) or on Snapchat (@uabathletics).
