University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
East Carolina
Tigers Sink Pirates 3-0 in C-USA Showdown
Sep 23, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 23, 2011
Memphis,Tenn. - The Memphis Tigers picked up their first conference win of the season as they downed the ECU Pirates in three-straight sets (27-25, 25-19, 25-18) Friday night at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The win gives the Tigers a 12-3 record on the season and a 1-1 mark in Conference USA action, while the Pirates fall to 2-8 and 0-2 in conference play.
Junior Altrese Hawkins lead the way for the Tigers with 11 kills followed by freshman Lauren Hawkins with eight. Junior Hajnalka Molnar continued her nation leading ways in assists, posting 34, while junior Marija Jovanovic led the way in digs with 14.
The Tigers jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the first set behind two early kills from Altrese Hawkins. Memphis led most of the set until late when the Pirates rallied behind a 6-0 run to tie the game at 24. In the end Memphis would prevail 27-25 on a fifth kill by Hawkins assisted Jovanovic, one of 13 by Molnar in set one.
Memphis would take set two, clawing out a 12-6 lead early that included run of four-straight points for the Tigers. Redshirt junior Vesna Jelic posted five kills in the set with Altrese Hawkins, Marija Jovanovic, and Lauren Hawkins each cheking in with four. ECU would keep it close but the Tigers would eventually take the set 25-19.
The Pirates would come back strong in set three but in the end the Tigers would be too much, taking the win 25-19. Set three saw Vesna Jelic set a career best in services aces with six, besting her previous best of five against UARL earlier this year.
Conference play continues for the Tigers this weekend as Memphis hosts Marshall Sunday at 1p.m. at the Elma Roane Filedhouse.
