Volleyball Comes Back From 2-0 Down to Defeat Little Rock, 3-2

Saturday, September 12

Memphis, Tenn.

12:00 PM

University of Memphis

6-3

Tennessee Tech

1-8

TTU

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Volleyball Comes Back From 2-0 Down to Defeat Little Rock, 3-2

Sep 12, 2015 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Purvis and Morgan named to all-tournament team.

By: Tammy DeGroff

MEMPHIS – The University of Memphis volleyball team (7-3) found itself down 2-0 at the break against Little Rock (4-6), a 2014 NCAA tournament team and a team that has won five of the last six meetings with the Tigers.

"I don't know if (what I said in the locker room at the break) is TV ready," Head Coach April Jauregui joked after Memphis' comeback win. "I just told the team we can't win anything if we're not a team and if we're not together. What I was disappointed in in those first two sets when we gave up the lead in the first set and then the second set, we just got down and fell apart. I think they showed some great risilency. We tried to tell them to just take it in chunks, just five points at a time and just muster all the energy they had. It was a long weekend, but to finish with a win makes it all worth it."

To start off the night, Memphis jumped ahead early in the opening set, at one point, leading 16-10. But Little Rock came back and stole the set away as Memphis hit just .121 with nine kills in the first set, 25-22.

Things didn't get much better in a second set, where Memphis hit just .119, although with 16 kills, in a 25-23 loss.

But coming out of the break, the Tiger defense found success scrambling behind the blockers. After just four total blocks in the first two sets, Memphis posted five blocks in the third set alone. The scrambling also kick-started the offense as Memphis hit a game-high .243 in a 25-21 third set victory.

The offense's hitting percentage sputtered again in the fourth, hitting just .159, but the defense stayed in tune, thanks again to a more effective blocking performance and the team's ability to play defense behind its blockers. Senior libero Lindsey Purvis (Germantown/Briarcrest HS) posted a career-high 29 digs in the win, earning her a spot on the all-tournament team.

"Lindsey Purvis played phenomenally," Jauregui said. "She really was the backbone and the energy of the team and carried us through. We just had to really grit and grind. I mean, I know we're in Memphis and all, but we just had to fight that thing out. We haven't beaten UALR in a really long time, so that feels good."

Sophmore outside Oluchi Agomuo led Memphis with 15 kills, while McKenzie Hayes added 14 kills and six blocks. Veronica Zimmerman finished with a game-high 48 assists, adding 18 digs, while Catlin Lilly added a double-double of her own with 11 kills and 17 digs. Summer Morgan led the blocking effort for Memphis, finishing with nine total blocks, including a pair of solos. Morgan joined Purvis on the all-tournament team, her second straight honor this season.

Memphis remains at home for another home tournament weekend next week. The Tigers will host Austin Peay, Friday, at 7 p.m., then face Southern Miss (2 p.m.) and Mississippi State (7 p.m.), Saturday, in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse.

Memphis 3, Tennessee Tech 0
Led by 10 kills from Summer Morgan, the University of Memphis volleyball team opened its Saturday schedule with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-21) win over Tennessee Tech (1-8). Lindsey Purvis led Memphsi with 29 digs, while Veronica Zimmerman had 48 assists and 18 digs in the win.