The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
rv New Mexico
UAB Splits on Opening Day of Fight Like Hal Tournament
4/14/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB beach volleyball team split a pair of matches on the opening day of the Fight Like Hal Tournament with a 5-0 victory over UT Martin and a 4-1 defeat to New Mexico at Blazer Beach on Friday.
Emily Martinez and Kenley Adams highlighted the Blazers’ efforts as the duo won both of their matches to increase their winning streak to six straight and they have now won 10 of their last 11 matches.
Martinez and Adams, who have seen their recent success come on court three, are now 11-4 as pair. Martinez owns a team-best 15-9 individual record, while Adams is one win behind her at 14-9.
UAB 5, UT MARTIN 0
The Blazers (10-15) opened the tournament in dominant fashion by defeating the Skyhawks 5-0.
UAB went up 1-0 before the match even started due to a UT Martin forfeit on court five as the Skyhawks (0-9) only traveled eight players. The Blazers then secured the match with victories on courts three and four to move ahead 3-0.
Haley Jared and Gabbi Moreno recorded the first win of the day on court four with a 21-6, 21-14 victory. Martinez and Adams then won on court three 21-11, 21-10 to secure the Blazers’ team win.
With the match already decided, Erika Zembyla and Avery Hoven on court one and Avei Logoleo and Katarina Jovicic on court two continued the momentum with straight set victories to conclude the sweep.
Logoleo and Jovicic breezed past UT Martin with a 21-4, 21-14 triumph, while Zembyla/Hoven registered a 21-10, 21-12 victory.
Court 1: Erika Zembyla/Avery Hoven (UAB) def. Macy Catlett/Hannah Phillips (UT Martin): 21-10, 21-12
Court 2: Avei Logoleo/Katarina Jovicic (UAB) def. Rachel Noffsinger/Hayley Gray (UT Martin): 21-4, 21-14
Court 3: Emily Martinez/Kenley Adams (UAB) def. Macy Reigelsperger/Jemima Idemudia (UT Martin): 21-11, 21-10
Court 4: Haley Jared/Gabbi Moreno (UAB) def. Kelly Lean/Sarah ShaKew (UT Martin): 21-6, 21-14
Court 5: UAB wins via forfeit.
NEW MEXICO 4, UAB 1
The Lobos were able to win on courts one and two, as well as four and five to defeat the Blazers 4-1 in the final match of the opening day.
New Mexico (12-9), who is receiving votes in the national polls, raced ahead 2-0 with wins on court four and five to open the match. Court five was very competitive between UNM and UAB’s Rachel Evans and Kalah Jones, but the Lobos were able to win in straight sets, 21-18, 21-19.
New Mexico clinched the match with a victory on court one, but UAB got one back when Martinez and Adams outlasted Baleto/Doran in three sets, 21-18, 11-21, 15-12.
The final match of the evening was on court two with Avei Logoleo and Katarina Jovicic falling in three sets. The UAB duo won the first set 21-18, but UNM’s Sours/Rugland bounced back to win set two 21-13 and the decisive third set 15-9.
Court 1: Ashley Kelsey/Cassie House (UNM) def. Erika Zembyla/Avery Hoven (UAB): 21-16, 21-13
Court 2: Devanne Sours/Lise Rugland (UNM) def. Avei Logoleo/Katarina Jovicic (UAB): 18-21, 21-13, 15-9
Court 3: Emily Martinez/Kenley Adams (UAB) def. Eastyn Baleto/Marisa Doran (UNM): 21-15, 11-21, 15-12
Court 4: Lauren Twitty/Julia Warren (UNM) def. Gabbi Moreno/Haley Jared (UAB): 21-5, 21-11
Court 5: Victoria Spragg/Chloe Crappell (UNM) def. Kalah Jones/Rachel Evans (UAB): 21-19, 21-18
The final day of the Fight Like Hal Tournament begins on Saturday at 10 a.m. with New Mexico taking on UT Martin. UAB is in action at 12 p.m. with a rematch vs. New Mexico and at 4 p.m. vs. Lincoln Memorial. There will be a brief Senior Day presentation for Kalah Jones and Katarina Jovicic prior to the 4 p.m. match.
