Tulane University
2-5,0-0AAC
UCF
5-0,0-0AAC
Volleyball Closes Weekend in Orlando, Falls to UCF in 3-1 Battle
Feb 6, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
ORLANDO — Tulane volleyball (2-5) fell to UCF (5-0) in a hard-fought four-set match (18-25, 25-19, 23-25, 19-25) on Saturday, wrapping up the team's weekend of action in The Venue.
"Being up 23-19 in the third set, we had a chance to go up two sets to one," head coach Jim Barnes said. "UCF is a veteran team, picked to finish first in the conference, with the Player of the Year who turned it around on us. Ultimately, we really improved this weekend and showed a great amount of growth. At times, we had four freshmen on the floor this weekend after losing three seniors last year. AAC play starts next week and we are much better prepared for it after this weekend."
Senior outside hitter Lexie Douglas, junior middle hitter Kayla Dinkins and freshman outside hitter Mackenzie Martin each recorded season-high, double-digit kills in the match, totaling 17, 13 and 13, respectively. Dinkins led the Green Wave with a .478 hitting percentage.
On the defensive end, junior libero Makala Heidelberg led Tulane with 28 digs, followed by Martin with 13 digs. With 13 kills and 13 digs, Martin earned her third double-double in her first season Uptown.Â
Junior setter Amanda Giardina helped Tulane's offensive success by totaling 25 assists, while junior setter Taylor Henigsman added 16.
The first set was a back-and-forth battle between both teams, with the score tied at 15, before UCF was able to finish it out with a 4-0 run to take a 1-0 match lead at 25-18. Dinkins shined in set one to lead the Green Wave's offense, recording six kills on seven attempts to hit .857, as Tulane totaled 14 kills in the first.
The Olive and Blue came out strong in set two, going on a 7-0 run following a tie score at 10-10 to take a 21-13 lead. Dinkins' ninth kill of the match put Tulane at set point before a kill from junior right side hitter Yvette Burcescu closed it out at 25-19 to even the match at 1-1.
Tulane picked up right where they left off to start the third set, with a 5-1 run early putting the Green Wave up 6-3. The Knights came back to tie the score at 14, before a 3-0 Green Wave run put the team back on top at 17-15. Kills from Martin and Douglas sent Tulane on a 4-0 run to keep the Olive and Blue ahead by four at 23-19, but the Knights came back to tie it and eventually take a 2-1 match advantage after a 25-23 finish.
The fourth set was a close one all the way through, with seven tie scores before UCF broke away from a 16-16 score to take a two-point lead. A kill from Douglas closed the gap to one point at 19-18 before a 4-0 run from the Knights capped it off at 25-19 to finish it out and take the match, 3-1.
In their next time out, the Green Wave are set to host Memphis on Friday and Saturday in the team's American Athletic Conference opener at the Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse.
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