UAB Earns First Conference Win Over Middle Tennessee

Sunday, October 6

Birmingham, Ala. / Bartow Arena

1 p.m.

UAB

Middle Tennessee

UAB Earns First Conference Win Over Middle Tennessee

10/6/2019 5:53:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

BIRMINGHAM – The UAB volleyball team picked up its first win in conference of the year on Sunday, rallying to defeat Middle Tennessee 3-1 in its first C-USA game in Bartow Arena this season. The Blazers dropped the first set, but locked in to dominate the rest of the match as they didn't allow the Blue Raiders to reach 20 points in any further set. UAB outscored Middle Tennessee by 26 points in the final three sets.

"Today, we did a much better job of responding when things get hard," said coach Amy Pauly. "Everyone took it upon themselves to step up after set one, and I think that shows when you look at our box score. We had multiple people in the double digit kill and dig category, and that again just shows we had a great team win."

Player Spotlight
The Blazers used a balanced attack to overpower the Blue Raiders. Redshirt junior outside hitter Emma Mitchell led the UAB offense as she has much of the season with 15 kills and eight digs. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Alex Kells also pitched in with 13 kills and three digs, while true freshman Rachel Morse set up the Blazer attack with 40 assists and 14 digs for her seventh double double of the season.

Defensively, UAB was anchored by redshirt sophomore middle blocker Anna D'Cruz, true junior outside hitter Abby Carlile and true freshman middle blocker Kiana Mack as they finished with three total blocks apiece.

How it Happened
While Middle Tennessee held its own in some categories, UAB notable doubled the Blue Raiders in aces (8-4) and blocks (6-3). The Blazers were also much more efficient with their strikes, posting a .315 hitting percentage to Middle Tennessee's .228 percent.

An early five-point run spurred UAB to an 8-3 lead in the first set, but the Blue Raiders chipped away at the Blazer lead until taking a 12-11 advantage. UAB never regained the lead in the set as Middle Tennessee strung together two more short bursts and finished the set with a 25-21 win.

UAB came out dominant in the second set, leading the frame from start to finish. The Blazers got a head start with a 5-1 lead and never looked back, closing out the set by winning 12 of the final 14 points for a 25-13 set win.

Set three was much of the same for UAB as the Blazers took a 7-1 lead after surrendering the first point of the set. UAB continued to push steadily, reaching as high as a 16-7 lead and later working its way to a 25-19 win in the set.

The fourth set was closer early on, but UAB created the first separation with a 9-5 lead. The Blue Raiders would close the gap to a one-point deficit, but quick runs would help the Blazers pull away. UAB consistently put together runs of two and three points from that point on to come out on top in the set, 25-18, and in the match, 3-1.

Up Next
UAB will next travel to the Lone Star State for a pair of contests against UTEP and UTSA. The Blazers and Miners are scheduled to square off on Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. in El Paso, Texas. The following matchup with the Roadrunners is set for Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. in San Antonio, Texas. Live stats along with a live stream will be provided for each contest by the respective teams.

Volleyball season tickets are on sale by purchasing the 2019-20 Gold Card for $65. The Gold Card is an exclusive offer that grants you admission into all UAB volleyball, men's and women's soccer, women's basketball, baseball and softball events for the upcoming academic year. Contact the UAB Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1 for more details.

For more information on the UAB volleyball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter or Instagram (@UAB_VB).