Tulane Closes Non-Conference Play with a Sweep of UAB.

Saturday, September 18

Birmingham, AL

2:00 p.m.

Tulane University

-46,00 CUSA

University of Alabama at Birmingham

7-5,0-0AAC

Tulane

UAB

Tulane Closes Non-Conference Play with a Sweep of UAB.

Sep 18, 2021 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Samantha Larsen

BIRMINGHAM, Al. – Tulane (7-5, 0-0 AAC) closed out the Green Wave Invitational with a swift, three-set win over co-hosts UAB (4-6, 0-0 C-USA). After the Wave dropped matches both matches Friday to Sam Houston State and Texas Tech, they made clean work of the Blazers to finish the tournament 1-2. The Olive and Blue won the match 25-16, 25-21, 25-20 in their last tune-up before conference play begins next week.

Tulane roared back this afternoon by hitting .213 with 39 kills, 35 assists, and six service aces. The Green Wave had a defensive force as well, with every offensive player that entered the match claiming at least one block.

Senior middle hitter Kayla Dinkins had one of her most productive matches in career history. Dinkins had 11 kills and hit an astounding .733 earning her 11.5 points. Today was a career-high hitting percentage with double-digit kills for Dinkins. Freshman Michelle Urquhart followed suit hitting .346 with 12 kills, two assists, two blocks, and six digs, earning her a team-high 13.5 points.

Libero Sophia Ervanian led the back row with 17 digs in her second start at the position this season. Senior Lexie Douglas pulled her weight in the back row, she grabbed 13 digs while she managed three kills. Freshman setter Chelsea Harvey stepped up big this weekend after injury stuck the heart of Tulane's offense in Taylor Henigsman. Harvey claimed 27 assists, five kills, and five digs.

"It was disappointing to not have our senior setter Taylor available, but we got some more valuable experience to our freshmen Chelsea," head coach Jim Barnes said. "

Tulane came out of the locker room with fire, they went up 10-2 quickly in the first set. From this point on the Blazers never got within seven points. After 11 kills Tulane took the set 25-16 with a .348 hitting percentage.

Sets two and three showed a little more even competition. The second of the match saw nine ties and seven lead changes before the Wave took it 25-21. The would-be the closest margin of the match.

Set three showed promise similar to set two however the Wave's explosive offense proved to be too strong. After 14 kills the Wave would finish it off 25-20.

"The team responded with a great determination today to beat a good UAB team.
Now we look to get completely healthy and ready for conference next week."

Tulane returns next Friday to open American Athletic Conference play against Wichita at 2 p.m. on the campus of the University of Houston.

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