Tulane University
10-9,7-3AAC
Tulsa
2-8,2-8AAC
Volleyball Sweeps Tulsa Saturday in Green Wave's Final Regular Season Match
Mar 27, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
TULSA, Oklahoma — The Tulane volleyball team moved to 10-9 overall and 7-3 in American Athletic Conference play after sweeping Tulsa (2-8, 2-8 AAC) on Saturday in the Reynolds Center in the team's final match of the regular season.
"It's humbling. Our players persevered all season and played for each other through incredible challenges," head coach Jim Barnes said. "Down the stretch, we were 5-1 and secured second place with great momentum heading into the AAC tourney. Our seniors, Lexie [Douglas], Mia [Primavera] and Nicole [Levine] are the heart and soul of the program. What a great way to send them off."
Freshman outside hitter Mackenzie Martin was nearly unstoppable in the win, totaling a career-high 19 kills while hitting .386 and also adding 10 digs for a double-double. Junior setter Taylor Henigsman helped pace the offense, also earning a double-double, recording 33 assists and 10 digs.
Leading the Green Wave defensively was junior right side Yvette Burcescu and junior middle hitter Kayla Dinkins with five blocks each. Senior defensive specialist Mia Primavera notched 13 digs in three sets while freshman libero Sophia Ervanian was right behind her with 11.
Tulane came out strong in the first set, hitting .341 while totaling 18 kills as a team to take a 1-0 match lead with a 25-21 finish. The Green Wave were rolling to start, as two kills from Martin were followed by an ace from senior outside hitter Lexie Douglas to send them on a 5-0 run. The teams exchanged back-and-forth points until Tulsa was able to tie it up at 18-18, but a 5-1 Olive and Blue run put the visiting team back on top before a block from freshman middle hitter Anna Davis and Douglas closed it out.
The second set was a back-and-forth battle to start until the Green Wave went on a 5-0 run, with back-to-back kills from Dinkins and Burcescu, to take a two-point lead at 13-11. The Golden Hurricane came back to tie it up at 19-19 until a solo block from Davis was followed by two service aces by Ervanian and a block from Dinkins and Douglas to put Tulane up by four at 23-19. A kill from Martin put the Olive and Blue at set point before a block from Burcescu and Dinkins finished it at 25-23 and put Tulane up 2-0 over Tulsa.
Two kills from Burcescu and Davis gave Tulane an early 4-1 lead in the third and final set before Tulsa tied it at 4-4. A 6-1 run led by the Green Wave's offense put the visiting team up by three at 9-6, ultimately extending Tulane's lead to eight with a 17-9 score. The Golden Hurricane made it a three-point game at 21-18 before a 4-1 Green Wave run avoided a fourth set as a kill from Davis ended the match and solidified the sweep at 25-19.
With the regular season behind them, the Green Wave will turn their focus to postseason competition, traveling to Cincinnati, Ohio, next weekend to take on UCF in the semifinal match of the AAC Tournament on Friday at 1 p.m.
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