Volleyball Falls to Streaking UConn Team, 3-0

Friday, October 30

Memphis, Tenn.

7:00 PM

University of Memphis

14-10, 5-6American

UConn

12-10, 6-5American

UCONN

Memphis

Photo by: George Walker

Oct 30, 2015 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Tigers fall to 5-6 in league play.

By: Tammy DeGroff

MEMPHIS – The University of Memphis volleyball team (14-10, 5-6 American) became the third straight three-set sweep victim of a University of Connecticut squad (12-10, 6-5 American) that has now won five matches in a row with a 3-0 victory Friday night.

Memphis got a slow start to the match, trailing 3-1 before McKenzie Hayes downed a kill and blocked a shot with teammate Summer Morgan to tie the score at 3-all. The two teams would lock step up the scoreboard to 6-all when UConn went on a 4-0 run with back-to-back kills from Tosin Adeniyi. From there, Memphis could never close any closer than that four point gap and the visitors from UConn claimed the opening set, 25-20.

The second set had a similar start, with both teams making it to 7-all when Memphis took a lead off of a kill from Torika Baleilekutu, but Jade Strawberry downed three straight kills following a Memphis service error and gave her Husky team a 12-9 lead. That three-point cushion held up for UConn, powering them to a 25-20 second set win and a 2-0 lead at the break.

After the break, the Tigers tried to mix things up and started sophomore setter Faith Myers looking to get the team's pace on track. Myers and her team got out to a 12-10 lead following a block from Oluchi Agomuo and Morgan, but after another Adeniyi kill and on Strawberry's serve, UConn rolled off three straight points to take a 15-14 lead.

Memphis would tie it up while working from behind at 15, 16 and 17, but a Immanuella Anagu kill followed by a Erika Thomas kill forced a Memphis timeout with UConn up 19-17. Out of the timeout, Memphis was whistled for a set error and committed a pair of attack errors around a service error to push UConn to match point at 24-20. Memphis fought off two match points with a UConn attack error and an Agomuo service ace, but the final Memphis serve of the night sailed long and UConn claimed the 25-22 set win and the match.

Memphis was led by Catlin Lilly with eight kills, while Morgan added seven. That marks the first time this season the Tigers have gone back-to-back matches without a player in double digit kills. Mady Ruhlman led Memphis with 17 digs, while Lilly added eight.

UConn was led by Strawberry and Anagu, who each had 10 kills, while Strawberry added 16 digs in the win.

Memphis remains at home and hosts second place Temple, Sunday, at 1 p.m. Temple comes to the Bluff City after a 3-1 loss at Cincinnati Friday night.