Tulane University
South Florida*
Volleyball Drops Emotional Match To South Florida 3-1
Oct 11, 2002 | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 11, 2002
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Senior outside hitter Britney Hurst led three Green Wave players in double-digit kill totals, but it was not enough as the Tulane University volleyball team dropped an emotional four-game match to South Florida in Conference USA action Friday night in Fogelman Arena.
Hurst paced the team with 16 kills, but the Bulls answered with three players with 10-plus kills including Michelle Collier who had a match-high 26. The two teams split the first two games with USF taking the opening game 30-23 before Tulane took game two 30-27, but a Green Wave rally in game three fell just short in the third stanza that went to the Bulls 32-30 before South Florida closed out the match with a 30-19 victory.
"The close game in game three was the turning point," head coach Betsy Becker said. "It took the wind out of our sales. South Florida is a very balanced team with Michelle Collier leading the attack. They are good offensively and defensively, and they're an experienced ball club."
Junior middle blocker Kim Swafford had 11 kills for the Green Wave while sophomores Deva Fowler and Anastasia Kenon each had 10. Hurst, junior opposite hitter Lauren Jones-McClain and junior libero Karlyn Daly tied for team-high dig honors with 11 each.
At the net, the Green Wave tallied 11.0 team blocks with Fowler leading the way with a solo stop and four block assists and Hurst, Swafford and Jones-McClain each tallying four.
"Kim Swafford had a really good match," Becker said. "A great team is comprised of a different player having a good match on any given night. All season, Britney Hurst has been our rock star, but tonight, Kim was our star. It's got to be somebody stepping up every night, and if we can build on this hard-fought match, we're going to be a better team for it."
The Green Wave got off to a rough start in game one as the Bulls ran out to a 14-6 lead. The lead grew to as many as 10 at 25-15, but Tulane would not go away and cut the lead to seven on four occasions. The early USF lead proved to be too much, though, as the Bulls took the stanza 30-23.
Tulane fell behind early again in game two as USF jumped out to a 9-4 lead. But this time, the Green Wave was able to stay in the game and tied things up at 13-all. The Bulls retook the lead and held a 23-20 lead later in the game, but Tulane used a 10-4 rally to end the game and take the frame 30-27.
South Florida scored the first points of the third game and would not relinquish it the entire way. But Tulane played tough, erasing a 12-7 deficit to tie eventually tie the game at 28-28. The Green Wave staved off a game-point opportunity for USF at 30-29, but could not do it again as the Bulls won 32-30.
After dropping game three, it was all South Florida as the Bulls jumped out to a 15-6 lead and continued to push for points throughout the stanza as the lead grew to as many as 14. Tulane was able to cut the lead to 10, but USF was able to hold on in the 30-19 win.
Collier led three Bull players with double-digit kill totals as Shameka Mitchell and Bonnye Glover each tallied 10. Defensively, Collier paced the team with a match-best 15 digs while Jolene Patton had 12 and Leonie Muller tallied 11.
The Green Wave returns to action on Saturday when Tulane takes on UAB at 7 p.m. in Fogelman Arena.
