The University of Memphis volleyball team (14-8) split the weekend with a loss at Cincinnati (17-5) and win over ECU (15-8). Tigers lost 0-3 to the Bearcats, while they won 3-2 against the Pirates.
Game versus Cincinnati
The Tigers were shut out against the best team (by record) in the conference Friday. They lost by scores of 25-14, 25-17 and 25-18.
The game was filled with an early Cincinnati lead, and a few late Bearcat runs to close out the game. The biggest stat of the game was errors. Memphis ended the match with 19 compared to Cincinnati’s nine.
The visitors were led by junior right-side hitter Hannah Flowers. She tallied eight kills and two blocks on the night. She has 891 kills for her career and needs nine to hit the 900-kills milestone.
Kaitlyn Gehler contributed 13 digs in-game, and Sabrina Bianco had her third multiblock performance in the last five matches. The sophomore setter also had 22 assists in the contest.
The player of the game for Cincinnati was Jordan Thompson. She had the game-high in kills with 17 and also contributed nine digs and three blocks.
Game versus ECU
Memphis, after a brutal loss to the Bearcats, got a much-needed win against the Pirates in a close matchup. The Tigers won by scores of 17-25, 25-15, 25-17, 19-25 and 15-13.
The first set was all ECU as they grabbed the early lead over the Tigers and never trailed to start the game. The second and third sets belonged to Memphis as Gigi Crescenzo and Meredith Wallace controlled the sets with their kills and serves.
The Pirates found momentum ending set four thanks to a 10-2 run. Both teams controlled the final set trading points until, ultimately, Memphis gained the final few points to secure the win.
Player of the match was Flowers as she went well beyond the 900-kills mark, downing 21 kills in the match to give her 912 in her career. She also added two blocks and an ace.
Bianco recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 46 assists and 12 digs in the game. This was the 13th time she made 40-assists or more during a single game in her career. Of those 13, she has acheived 12 this year.
Crescenzo set a new career-high in digs with 17 in Sunday’s contest. Gehler also had 17 digs in the match, as well. She has posted double-digit digs in 14 of the Memphis’ last 15 matches.
ECU’s player of the match was Bri Wood. She had a double-double in the contest with 17 kills and 14 digs.
What’s Next?
Memphis volleyball will be back at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse for a match with the SMU Mustangs (14-6) Friday at 7 p.m. Sunday they will welcome the USF Bulls (7-17) at 1 p.m. The Tigers will look to get their fourth and fifth win in conference play this weekend as they try to catch up to the top teams in the American.
