Tulane University
UAB
Errors Hurt In Three Set Loss to UAB
Nov 14, 2010 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2010
Box Score (PDF) | Season Statistics (PDF)
NEW ORLEANS - It was unforced errors that undid the Tulane volleyball team on Sunday afternoon in their three-set loss to UAB at Fogelman Arena. The Green Wave dropped the match by scores of 23-25, 23-25, 13-25, even though Milica Jovic had a match-high 13 kills and Lindsey Shepard posted 12 kills of her own to give the home team a 42-37 advantage in the kill department.
"The momentum turned and we had a chance in games one and two and then, instead of fighting through it, we collapsed," said Tulane head coach Sinisa Momic. "We didn't have anyone step up today and we need to fix it. Our hitters have not been very consistent all year and our offense has played well when things are going well, but when we are in trouble we don't have a go to hitter. Lindsey and Cori have done really well the past few matches and they have been successful when our passing is going well."
Tulane seemed to have the first set under control, racing out to an early 7-2 lead and eventually building a 14-8 lead on a kill from Shepard. Later in the set, Cori Martone gave the home team an 18-14 lead with a kill, but UAB would score four straight points to tie things up. Tulane built a 23-21 advantage, but Sam Serley served out the set for the Blazers, with Michelle Simmons tallying the final point via a solo block on Izabela Grot.
In the second set, the Green Wave again held a lead well into the set, but again saw that lead disappear at the end. Martone gave the Olive and Blue a 10-7 lead with a kill, but UAB tallied the four of the next five points to draw even and the set was eventually tied at 14-14. Kate Morrell gave the Blazers a 23-18 lead, but Tulane stormed back with five straight points, including a pair of kills from Grot and a kill and solo block from Shepard, to pull even at 23-23. A kill from Ally Slaughter and an attacking error by Jovic closed it out.
UAB built a big lead in the third set, leading 18-8 at one point, as the Blazers posted a .706 hitting percentage for the stanza. Jovic posted four kills in the final set, but Tulane was unable to get much going offensively as they committed four service errors, four service return errors and four attacking errors.
Jovic paced all players with 13 kills, while Shepard added 12 and Martone chipped in 11 kills with a .350 hitting percentage. Junior libero Nikki Osuna tallied nine digs to lead the Green Wave defense, while Amaris Genemaras added seven. The Blazers held the edge in blocking on the afternoon, with a 10-3 edge, but Tulane owned the lead in kills at 42-37.
The loss drops the Green Wave 10-19 overall and 7-10 in Conference USA play. The Olive and Blue will hit the road for the final time this season, taking on Marshall in Huntington on Friday, November 19 and traveling to East Carolina on Sunday afternoon.
--TulaneGreenWave.com--
