The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
0-1,0-0American
Jacksonville
1-0,0-0ASUN
Blazers Go 1-1 on Opening Day
8/29/2025 7:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - UAB Volleyball split the opening day of the 2025 season, falling to Jacksonville 3-2 after nearly completing the reverse sweep, and defeating UNC Asheville in straight sets.
Captains Jorda Crook and Mia Reese dominated the court for the Blazers. Crook set a career high with 25 kills, the most by a Blazer since 2021, while Reese notched her first career double-double and then set a new career-high hitting percentage in match two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Jacksonville 3, UAB 2
Jacksonville jumped out to an early 5-2 lead in the first set, never looking back. Five service errors by the Blazers were the difference in the set, including three straight to give the Dolphins set point. Despite a comeback attempt with three consecutive points for UAB, Jacksonville won the set 25-21.
A dominant second set by Jacksonville put the Dolphins within striking distance. Jacksonville sided out on 12 of 14 opportunities, quickly stifling any UAB momentum throughout the set.
Crook caught fire in the third set, recording seven kills, and leading the Blazers through a comeback after trailing 14-11 in the set. A Reese kill and an Izabella Carter ace gave the Blazers a set point before an Abby Jones kill won the Blazers the set.
12 tie scores and five lead changes highlighted a back-and-forth fourth set. Crook added eight more assists to her total, including the set-clinching kill. Despite facing a 19-17 deficit in the frame, five consecutive kills between Crook and Jones gave the Blazers a 22-19 lead. A Jones ace and the Crook kill closed out the set to force a fifth set.
Crook's best set came in the fifth, where she hit .417 with six kills on just 12 attacks. Another hard-fought set, with each team boasting side-out percentages at or above 66%, the Dolphins came out on top, despite the Blazers holding two-point leads late in the set, including 13-11. Three straight attack errors by the Blazers gave Jacksonville the lead, which they would capitalize on with a kill and ace to finish the match.
UAB 3, UNC Asheville 0
The Blazers never trailed in their second match of the day. After taking a 2-1 lead in the first set, UAB pulled away from the Bulldogs, winning the set 25-20 behind a four-kill set from Jones.
UAB went on a four-point run thanks to three Bulldog errors, taking a 4-1 lead to start the second set. Once again, the Blazers opened their lead further, leading 10-3 at one point, and 19-13 later in the set after a Reese kill. The Blazers took six of the last nine points to win the set. Reese, Jones, and freshman middle blocker Lia Beverly led the team in kills during the set with three each. Delaney Bowser led defensively with five digs.
The third set was the only competitive set, featuring five lead changes and 10 changes. After a 9-7 start to put UNC Asheville in the lead, the Bulldogs went on a 9-4 run, taking an 18-11 lead into a UAB timeout. Out of Betsy Freeburg's timeout, the Blazers went on a five-point run, forcing UNC Asheville to take a timeout of its own. UAB won three of the next four points to tie the match at 19-19. The teams then traded points deep into the set, with each team holding set point during the set. Ultimately, a Crook ace would clinch the first win of the season for the Blazers with a 29-27 set victory.
STANDOUTS
Crook notched 25 kills in UAB's loss against Jacksonville. 25 kills is a career high for the junior and is the most by a Blazer since 2021.
Reese shined in both matches, recording double-digit kills twice. With 15 kills against Jacksonville, Reese notched her first career double-double with her career-high 17 digs. Reese followed up the performance with 11 kills and no errors on 20 attacks against UNC Asheville. Her .550 hitting percentage against the Bulldogs is a career best.
Jones recorded 10 kills against UNC Asheville. Along with Reese, Jones was one of UAB's most efficient hitters through two sets, with seven kills and one error on 15 attacks.
Carter recorded a double-double in both matches. Sharing the setting duties with Riley Lovell, Carter tallied 26 and 21 assists in matches one and two, respectively, with 12 and 10 digs.
Freshman middle blocker Addyson Smock led the Blazers in total blocks in both matches. She made six blocks against Jacksonville and four against UNC Asheville.
NOTABLES
vs Jacksonville
- Jorda Crook set a new career high with 25 kills. Crook's 59 attacks were also a career high.
- Crook's 25 kills are the most by a UAB player since Fernanda Maida's 32 at Old Dominion (10/1/21)
- Mia Reese recorded her first career double-double, with 15 kills and a career-high 17 digs
- Reese tallied three aces, the first time in her career she's had multiple in a game
- Izabella Carter led the Blazers in assists (26), while recording 12 digs, her fourth career double-double, and first since 11/4/23.
- Summer Snead's four total blocks were a career high.
- Delaney Bowser set a new career-high with six assists.
- The freshmen starred in their collegiate debuts. Kennedy Vaughn recorded five kills and two blocks. Riley Lovell totaled 21 assists with five digs. Addyson Smock led the team with six total blocks.
- Reese recorded 11 kills with no errors on 20 attacks, setting a new career-high hitting percentage at .550
- Lia Beverly made her collegiate debut with five kills on six attacks and three blocks
- Abby Jones tied her career-high with three blocks
UP NEXT
UAB returns to Foster Auditorium tomorrow for the final match of the Crimson Tide Invitational. The Blazers will face hosts Alabama at 3 p.m. CT.
