The University of Memphis has fielded a women's volleyball teamsince 1971, but none of those teams has ever experienced as muchearly success as the 2003 squad.
The Tigers won four straight matches over the weekend en routeto winning the Birmingham-Southern Classic, boosting their recordto 14-1.
It's the best start ever for a women's volleyball team,surpassing the 11-1 starts of 1973 and 2001 campaigns.
The gaudy overall record is supplemented by their current11-game winning streak -- the longest Tigers streak since a 20-gamebinge in 1994.
Coach Carrie Yerty, it seems, has a lot to be excited about.
"That (the Birmingham-Southern Classic) was the most consistentI've seen our Tigers play all year," Yerty said. "The match againstNC State we were incredible," Yerty said. "We could have beatenanyone in the country that night."
The match Yerty was referring to was a dominating 3-0 (30-22,30-24, 30-17) win over the North Carolina State Wolfpack (5-5) ofthe ACC.
The Tigers had three players with double digit kills in thematch.
The group was lead by junior outside hitter Tiara Gilkey whoproduced a tournament high 17 kills in the win. Gilkey also led theTigers with 11 digs for the match.
"We completely disassembled their offense," Yerty said.
The Tigers had not won a match against an ACC school sincedefeating Wake Forest 3-1 in 1997. Overall, the Tigers are just13-25 against ACC schools.
The U of M opened the tournament by defeating host BirminghamSouthern 3-1 behind Sophomore Nancy Nellans 16 kills and acareer-high 21 digs.
On Saturday against Wofford, senior outside hitter BrittanyBarnett put away her 1,000th career kill, only the 13th Tiger toreach that mark.
Barnett's personal milestone highlighted a 3-0 win over theTerriers.
"The tournament did not name an MVP, but if I had to name an MVPit would have been Brittany Barnett," Yerty said.
The Tigers wrapped up the tournament title by trouncing SouthAlabama 3-0 (30-14, 30-25, 30-20) on Saturday in the Tigers' finaltournament match, guaranteeing an undefeated four-game record.Barnett led the team with 13 kills, while Emily Steckel and HeatherWatts combined for 23 digs.
The Tigers dropped just one game in four matches at theBirmingham-Southern Classic.
Nellans, Gilkey, and junior Heather Watts were all named to theBirmingham-Southern Classic All-Tournament Team,
With the Tigers about to begin conference play, Yerty knows thatthe wins won't come quite as easily.
In 2002, Memphis struggled to a 4-9 conference record.
The Tigers will have to play better to be competitive thisyear.
"There are no freebies in C-USA volleyball," Yerty said. "Weneed to steadily improve in Conference USA. We know that when we goon the road, we have to win."
The Tigers will get an early chance to do just that.
Beginning at Saint Louis University on Oct. 3, the Tigers willplay their first four C-USA matches on the road.
A good start in the conference will help Yerty's Tigers to reachanother, even more important goal.
"We want to be one of the participants in the C-USA tournamentand receive the highest seed possible."
