Volleyball Falls to Defending Conference Champs, 3-0

Sunday, October 11

Memphis, Tenn.

1:00 PM

University of Memphis

11-8, 2-4American

UCF

9-9, 3-3American

UCF

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Volleyball Falls to Defending Conference Champs, 3-0

Oct 11, 2015 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Kelsey Walter leads the team with nine kills on a career effort.

By: Tammy DeGroff

MEMPHIS – The University of Memphis volleyball team (11-8, 2-4 American) got a career-best effort from freshman middle Kelsey Walter off the bench, but could not find enough magic to get past defending conference champs UCF (9-9, 3-3 American), Sunday.

"I was pleased with our effort and response to Friday night's match," Head Coach April Jauregui said. "Now we just have to stay positive and focus on the next match in front of us."

Memphis got a slow start to the first set, trailing 5-0. That five point spot was all UCF needed, as the Knights hit .279 and held Memphis to a .093 hitting percentage in a 25-16 first set win.

The Tiger offense was more efficient in the second set, hitting .262 with 16 kills, but UCF hit .355 while 14 kills, capitalizing on four Tiger service errors in the set to hold on for a 25-21 set victory.

Following the break, the Tigers came out with more balance in the offense. After getting out-blocked 6-3 in the first two sets, Memphis actually out-blocked UCF 3-2 in the third set and cut the service errors to two.

Down 10-6, Memphis got back-to-back kills from Summer Morgan and McKenzie Hayes to start a 4-0 run that tied the set at 10-all and forced a UCF timeout. UCF came out of the timeout and scores three straight points to go back up 13-10, but with Memphis down 15-11, Hayes scored back-to-back kills that started another 4-0 Tiger run that tied the score at 15. In all the score would knot up seven times before a Taylor Gallart kill put UCF back in the front for the final time. Up 21-20, UCF would push to the match close, 25-21.

Jale Hervey would lead all players with 14 kills. Teammate Abbie Fleener added 11 kills and was one of three Knight hitters who had an attack percentage over .400 for the match. Shleby Foyer added a game-high 19 digs in the win.

Memphis was led by freshman middle Kelsey Walter. Walter came off the bench and downed nine kills and added two blocks, both career-bests.

"Kelsey did a good job of coming in off the bench and giving us some offense and some energy," Jauregui said.

Hayes and setter Veronica Zimmerman each had eight kills, while Morgan and Oluchi Agomuo finished with seven kills each.

Memphis goes back on the road for four straight matches in league play, starting Friday at Houston. Houston (14-4, 4-2) is returning home after a 3-0 loss at East Carolina, Sunday. The Tigers then travel to New Orleans to face Tulane, Sunday, at 1 p.m.