The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Saturday, November 16
Bowling Green, KY
Noon
UAB
at
WKU
UAB Prepares for Final Weekend Slate at Marshall, No. 19 WKU
11/13/2019 6:27:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM – The UAB volleyball team will hit the road this weekend to conclude the 2019 regular season. The Blazers will first travel to Marshall for a Thursday contest at 5 p.m. CT, then head to No. 19 WKU for its final regular season match on Saturday at noon local time.
A live stream and live stats will be provided for both matches with links located on the UAB volleyball schedule page.
UAB This Season
The Blazers (12-13, 4-8 C-USA) enter the road stint after splitting a pair of matches in their final homestand. UAB swept Southern Miss on Friday, but fell to Charlotte on Senior Day Sunday in Bartow Arena.
Several Blazers posted career highs against the 49ers as junior outside hitter Abby Carlile hit personal marks of 23 kills and 18 digs, while sophomore defensive specialist added a personal best 24 digs. Freshman setter Rachel Morse tied her career high with 17 digs against Charlotte and picked up two double doubles over the weekend to bump her total to 10 double doubles on the year. Freshman defensive specialist Faith Savage achieved her career-high 20 digs against Southern Miss as well.
UAB still ranks among the nation's best when serving, averaging 1.76 aces per set, which comes in at No. 17 in the NCAA and second in Conference USA in the category.
Redshirt junior outside hitter Emma Mitchell still leads the way for the Blazers offensively this season. The Charlotte, N.C., has piled up a team-leading 283 kills (3.14 k/s) this season. That mark alone places her ninth in the conference. She also has 25 service aces, good for second most on the team. Mitchell is a leader for the Blazers on the defensive side as well, totaling the second-most digs the squad with 220 this season.
Morse has been a bright spot for the Blazers all season as the orchestrator of the offense, tallying a team-best 770 assists (8.85 a/s) to currently rank sixth in Conference USA. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Anna D'Cruz continues to be UAB's defensive anchor from the middle, ranking seventh in the conference with 87 total blocks (0.99 b/s).
Scouting Marshall
The Thundering Herd (17-9, 8-5 C-USA) come into the contest having won its last five matches over conference opponents. Marshall has downed UTSA, Louisiana Tech, Charlotte, FIU and Florida Atlantic as of late. The Herd won its last two matches on the road in five sets.
Marshall has been one of the strongest defensive teams in the nation this season as the unit enters the matchup 10th in the NCAA and first in Conference USA in total blocks with 266 (2.83 b/s) on the year. A tandem of middle blockers, junior Destiny Leon and sophomore Isa Dostal, lead that front for the Herd as they each rank in the top 25 nationally in total blocks and blocks per set. Leon is 21st in the NCAA and leads the Conference USA in total blocks with 125, while Dostal is 20th in the country and first in the conference in blocks per set with a 1.36 average.
The Blazers come into the contest with a 13-11 advantage in the all-time series. UAB also took the last win in the series with a sweep in Bartow Arena last season. Marshall's most recent win came in a sweep on its home floor to close out UAB's 2017 season.
Scouting No. 19 WKU
The Lady Toppers (26-1, 12-0 C-USA) host the matchup as one of the nation's best with an early loss to No. 24 Louisville their only blemish on the season. Since then, WKU has won 22 straight matches to post an undefeated conference record. Most recently, the Lady Toppers earned a road victory over No. 17 Rice, who has a win over No. 1 Texas under its belt.
WKU currently holds the best record in the NCAA with a 96.3 winning percentage. The Lady Toppers are also among the best nationally from the baseline, flooring 1.98 aces per set, which ranks fourth in the nation and leads the conference. WKU is one of the most efficient striking teams in the country as well with a .302 hitting percentage, which is third in the NCAA and first in Conference USA.
Leading the Lady Topper serving efforts is senior right side Sophia Cerino, who sits atop the NCAA with 63 aces (0.69 sa/s). Sophomore middle hitter Lauren Matthews has been WKU's most efficient attacker, leading the country with a .456 hitting percentage. Matthews has been set up by junior setter Nadia Dieudonne, who is currently 23rd in the nation and leads the conference with 1,024 assists on the year.
The Blazers currently hold a 23-11 all-time series lead over the Lady Toppers. UAB also owns the longest streak of the series after winning the first 21 matches between the two sides. WKU took the most recent contest with a sweep in Bartow Arena earlier this season. The Blazers' last victory over the Lady Toppers was a 3-1 win on the road last season.
Up Next
As UAB is still in the hunt to make the Conference USA Tournament, the weekend's results will determine whether the Blazers' season continues. Updates will be provided on the UAB volleyball page and through the team social channels.
For more information on the UAB volleyball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter or Instagram (@UAB_VB).
A live stream and live stats will be provided for both matches with links located on the UAB volleyball schedule page.
UAB This Season
The Blazers (12-13, 4-8 C-USA) enter the road stint after splitting a pair of matches in their final homestand. UAB swept Southern Miss on Friday, but fell to Charlotte on Senior Day Sunday in Bartow Arena.
Several Blazers posted career highs against the 49ers as junior outside hitter Abby Carlile hit personal marks of 23 kills and 18 digs, while sophomore defensive specialist added a personal best 24 digs. Freshman setter Rachel Morse tied her career high with 17 digs against Charlotte and picked up two double doubles over the weekend to bump her total to 10 double doubles on the year. Freshman defensive specialist Faith Savage achieved her career-high 20 digs against Southern Miss as well.
UAB still ranks among the nation's best when serving, averaging 1.76 aces per set, which comes in at No. 17 in the NCAA and second in Conference USA in the category.
Redshirt junior outside hitter Emma Mitchell still leads the way for the Blazers offensively this season. The Charlotte, N.C., has piled up a team-leading 283 kills (3.14 k/s) this season. That mark alone places her ninth in the conference. She also has 25 service aces, good for second most on the team. Mitchell is a leader for the Blazers on the defensive side as well, totaling the second-most digs the squad with 220 this season.
Morse has been a bright spot for the Blazers all season as the orchestrator of the offense, tallying a team-best 770 assists (8.85 a/s) to currently rank sixth in Conference USA. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Anna D'Cruz continues to be UAB's defensive anchor from the middle, ranking seventh in the conference with 87 total blocks (0.99 b/s).
Scouting Marshall
The Thundering Herd (17-9, 8-5 C-USA) come into the contest having won its last five matches over conference opponents. Marshall has downed UTSA, Louisiana Tech, Charlotte, FIU and Florida Atlantic as of late. The Herd won its last two matches on the road in five sets.
Marshall has been one of the strongest defensive teams in the nation this season as the unit enters the matchup 10th in the NCAA and first in Conference USA in total blocks with 266 (2.83 b/s) on the year. A tandem of middle blockers, junior Destiny Leon and sophomore Isa Dostal, lead that front for the Herd as they each rank in the top 25 nationally in total blocks and blocks per set. Leon is 21st in the NCAA and leads the Conference USA in total blocks with 125, while Dostal is 20th in the country and first in the conference in blocks per set with a 1.36 average.
The Blazers come into the contest with a 13-11 advantage in the all-time series. UAB also took the last win in the series with a sweep in Bartow Arena last season. Marshall's most recent win came in a sweep on its home floor to close out UAB's 2017 season.
Scouting No. 19 WKU
The Lady Toppers (26-1, 12-0 C-USA) host the matchup as one of the nation's best with an early loss to No. 24 Louisville their only blemish on the season. Since then, WKU has won 22 straight matches to post an undefeated conference record. Most recently, the Lady Toppers earned a road victory over No. 17 Rice, who has a win over No. 1 Texas under its belt.
WKU currently holds the best record in the NCAA with a 96.3 winning percentage. The Lady Toppers are also among the best nationally from the baseline, flooring 1.98 aces per set, which ranks fourth in the nation and leads the conference. WKU is one of the most efficient striking teams in the country as well with a .302 hitting percentage, which is third in the NCAA and first in Conference USA.
Leading the Lady Topper serving efforts is senior right side Sophia Cerino, who sits atop the NCAA with 63 aces (0.69 sa/s). Sophomore middle hitter Lauren Matthews has been WKU's most efficient attacker, leading the country with a .456 hitting percentage. Matthews has been set up by junior setter Nadia Dieudonne, who is currently 23rd in the nation and leads the conference with 1,024 assists on the year.
The Blazers currently hold a 23-11 all-time series lead over the Lady Toppers. UAB also owns the longest streak of the series after winning the first 21 matches between the two sides. WKU took the most recent contest with a sweep in Bartow Arena earlier this season. The Blazers' last victory over the Lady Toppers was a 3-1 win on the road last season.
Up Next
As UAB is still in the hunt to make the Conference USA Tournament, the weekend's results will determine whether the Blazers' season continues. Updates will be provided on the UAB volleyball page and through the team social channels.
For more information on the UAB volleyball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter or Instagram (@UAB_VB).
Players Mentioned
OPP/OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
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