The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Volleyball Hits the Road for Tough Conference Matchups
10/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB volleyball team hits the road this weekend as it travels to Bowling Green, Ky., to face No. 25 Western Kentucky Friday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. and then will head to Houston, Texas to battle Rice Sunday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m.
Match Information:
UAB (9-12, 2-4) at No. 25 Western Kentucky (18-2, 5-0)
UAB (9-12, 2-4) at Rice (12-8, 4-1)
Site:
E.A. Diddle Arena (WKU)
Tudor Fieldhouse (Rice)
Date:
Friday, Oct. 14 (WKU)
Sunday, Oct. 16 (Rice)
The Series:
This will be the 27th time UAB and Western Kentucky have met in school history and the Blazers lead the all-time series in commanding fashion, 21-5. However, the last time these two teams met the Hilltoppers defeated the Blazers in three straight sets.
Rice leads the series with UAB 10-8 and the last time the two teams met the Owls defeated the Blazers 3-0 in Birmingham.
On the Blazers:
Amber Treace leads Conference USA with 793 assists (10.17 assists/set) and ranks third on the team with a .235 attack percentage. She is second on the squad with 151 digs and has tallied 40 total blocks.
Erika Zembyla continues to be an offensive weapon for the Blazers. She leads the team with 237 kills (3.34 kills/set) and is hitting .281 in Conference USA play. She has racked up 84 digs and is second with 19 service aces.
Haley Jared continues to make a name for herself offensively. She’s second on the team with 224 kills (2.95 kills/set) for a .187 attack percentage. Her 29 blocks puts her at fifth on the team and she’s recorded 84 digs so far this season.
Petra Silic continues to be a defensive nightmare for opponents. She is first on the squad and fifth in the conference with 77 total blocks (1.00 blocks/set) with 16 of them being solo. She also leads the team with 25 service aces and ranks third with 166 kills (2.16 kills/set).
Victoria Young is hot on Silic’s heels with 76 total blocks (1.00 blocks/set), 14 of them being solo. She leads the offense with a .317 hitting percentage and has tallied 131 kills (1.72 kills/set).
Kenley Adams ranks fourth on the squad with 139 kills (1.88 kills/set) for a .162 attack percentage. She’s third on the team with 132 digs and 51 total blocks.
Emily Martinez leads the Blazers and is third in the conference with 332 digs (4.26 digs/set). She has recorded 14 service aces and is third on the team with 36 assists.
Scouting Western Kentucky:
Western Kentucky is 18-2 overall. The Hilltoppers are led by Alyssa Cavanaugh who has 320 kills (4.38 kills/set) and posts a .345 attack percentage. Jessica Lucas controls the offense with 764 assists (11.58 assists/set). Amara Listenbee leads the team with 67 total blocks (0.94 blocks/set) while Sydney Engle has averaged a team-high 2.81 digs/set.
Scouting Rice:
The 49ers come into the match 12-8 overall. Chelsey Harris has a team-high 271 kills (3.52 kills/set) and Leah Mikesky is just behind her with 231 (3.12 kills/set). Lee Ann Cunningham leads the team in attack percentage with a .444 mark. Defensively, Portia Okafor is best on the squad with 89 total blocks and Cunningham has tallied a team-high 139 digs.
A Look Ahead:
The Blazers will be back on the road next week as they travel to Montgomery, Ala., to face in-state rival Alabama State in a mid-week match Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. UAB will then travel up to Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Sunday, Oct. 23 to face Middle Tennessee for the second time this season at 1 p.m.
