Volleyball Gets Its Sixth Sweep of the Season Against Tulsa

Friday, November 5

Tulsa, Okla.

7 p.m.

Tulane University

15-10,8-5AAC

Tulsa

12-10,7-6AAC

Tulane

Tulsa

Photo by: Parker Waters

Volleyball Gets Its Sixth Sweep of the Season Against Tulsa

Nov 5, 2021 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Samantha Larsen

TULSA, Okla. – The Tulane volleyball team got its sixth clean sweep of the season and its second against Tulsa as the first came on September 26 in the first meeting with the Golden Hurricanes. Four players for the Green Wave had six-plus kill nights, as senior middle blocker Kayla Dinkins led the way with 10 to help the Green Wave defeat Tulsa by way of 26-24, 25-19, 25-19, Friday night inside the Reynolds Center.

Tulane (15-10, 8-5), is looking to keep the winning streak going as it got a solid team performance when it needed it most, hitting .248 as a group offensively with 40 kills on 37 assists. In turn, the Green Wave held the Golden Hurricane (12-1-, 7-6) to a .077 hitting clip thanks to 49 team digs and 10 team blocks.

Dinkins was inches from a double-double by leading all players with her 10 kills, hitting .400 for the match, and adding seven blocks to post 13.5 points for the Green Wave. Michelle Urquhart followed with 9 kills, hitting .259, and four blocks of her own.

Taylor Henigsman recorded a new career-best 31 assists and had seven digs to go along with an ace. Sophia Ervanian led Tulane with 18 digs and three assists.

The Golden Hurricane opened the match in the first set by taking four of the first five points to go on top of the Green Wave 4-1, but the lead would be short-lived as Tulane chipped away, taking its first lead 12-11. Tulane seemed to have a hold on the set, but slowly the Golden Hurricane began to stake their claim and chip away at the Green Wave lead until finally breaking through to go back on top 19-18. Following a timeout, the Wave outscored its foe 5-2 to tie it up at 24. Tulane put it away with a kill from Yvette Burcescu, 26-24.

In the next set there was only one tie and the Wave never relinquished the lead. Throughout the second set, both sides were looking for an edge to try and take over the frame. However, the turning point for Tulane came on a 3-0-point run consisting of a kill, an ace, and a block to put the Wave up 14-10.

The Golden Hurricane were able to pull within a point of Tulane at 18-17, but the Green Wave refused to surrender the lead. Back-to-back kills from Henigsman and Burcescu put Tulane in control before Tulsa faltered with five consecutive attacking errors to end the set at 25-19.

The final set saw the biggest back-and-forth action. The set held 13 ties and three lead changes. Tulsa drew first blood but was never able to get their offense past Tulane.

Tulane eventually pushed its lead to 19-16 forcing a Golden Hurricane timeout. The Green Wave would make it 21-17 off of an error from Tulsa and two kills from Dinkins. The Olive and Blue would put it away with three kills and a tricky ace from Senior Danyelle Williams. The Wave took set three 25-19 to secure the 3-0 win.

Tulane will be back in action on Sunday, to take on Wichita State in Kansas to finish off the road trip.

Follow Tulane volleyball on social media at @GreenWaveVB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

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