Tulane University
9-9,6-3AAC
Tulsa
2-7,2-7AAC
Volleyball Secures Spot in AAC Tournament with Four-Set Win Over Tulsa
Mar 26, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
TULSA, Oklahoma โ The Tulane volleyball team (9-9, 6-3 AAC) earned a four-set win (17-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-21) over Tulsa (2-7, 2-7 AAC) on Friday, clinching the second-place spot in the American Athletic Conference West Division with one match remaining in the regular season.
"Many counted us out but this team pulled together and just clinched a second-place spot in the AAC tournament," head coach Jim Barnes said. "Taylor [Henigsman] ran our offense very well and our middles dominated the match. Sophia [Ervanian], Mia [Primavera]ย and Jillian [Dits] played lock down defense and serve receive."
With the win, the Green Wave have secured a spot in the AAC Tournament and are set to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, next weekend,ย takingย onย the East Division's top team in UCF on Friday at 1 p.m. in the semifinal match.
Junior middle hitter Kayla Dinkins led the way for the Green Wave's offense in the victory, totaling a career-high tying 15 kills while hitting .387 and adding four blocks. Freshman middle hitter Anna Davis also notched double-digit kills in the match, recording 13 while hitting .393.
Freshman libero Sophia Ervanian totaled 22 digs on the defensive end of the court, while freshman outside hitter Mackenzie Martin had 17, and seniors outside hitter Lexie Douglas and defensive specialist Mia Primavera each added 10.
Earning 41 assists in four sets was junior setter Taylor Henigsman, who also added nine digs and a career-high six kills.
Tulsa jumped out to a 4-1 lead to start the match, ultimately staying ahead to finish it out and take the first set, 25-17. Two kills from Dinkins and one from junior right side hitter Yvette Burcescu sent the Green Wave on a 3-0 run to tie the score at 5-5 before the Olive and Blue tied it again at 9-9 with another 3-0 run. A 5-0 run from the Golden Hurricane put the home team ahead, 17-11, where they would stay until closing it out with a kill.
The Green Wave started off strong in set two, as a block from Burcescu and Davis capped off a 6-1 run early. A 5-0 Olive and Blue run, with two kills from Martin, extended Tulane's lead to eight at 18-10, staying head for the entirety of the set before closing it out, 25-23, with a kill from Burcescu to even the match at 1-1.
Tulane went on a 9-1 run to start the third as Dinkins dominated with three kills and two blocks, putting the Green Wave ahead at 13-8. The Olive and Blue kept their lead for the remainder of the set, as consecutive kills from Davis, Douglas and Henigsman made it an eight-point game at 20-12, before a kill from Douglas closed it out at 25-16 and gave the Green Wave a 2-1 match lead.
Both teams came out fighting to start set four before a 5-0 Tulane run, with kills from Douglas and Dinkins, put the team up 11-6. A second 5-0 Olive and Blue run extended their lead to 17-9, with two service aces from Douglas and two kills from sophomore outside hitter Lizzy Stefanov. The Golden Hurricane closed the gap to three with a 3-0 run but Tulane remained on top as a kill from Stefanov ended it at 25-21.
The Green Wave will be back in the Reynolds Center on Saturday at 1 p.m. to take on Tulsa in the team's final match of the regular season.
Follow Tulane volleyball on social media at @GreenWaveVBย onย Twitter,ย Instagramย andย Facebook. Follow Tulane Athletics onย Twitter,ย Facebook,ย Instagram.
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