Tigers Volleyball Win 3-2 At Tulsa Friday

Friday, November 18

Tulsa, Okla.

7 pm

University of Memphis

14-15 (6-11AAC)

Tulsa

18-12 (7-11AAC)

Memphis

Tulsa

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Nov 19, 2016 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Memphis-Tulsa Boxscore Memphis Season Stats

Team has season highs for blocks, digs in the victory.

TULSA, Okla. – University of Memphis' Mady Ruhlman collected a career-high 31 digs and Regan Comperry, Michaella Moss and Faith Myers all recorded double-doubles to lift the Tigers to a 3-2 American Athletic Conference volleyball victory over Tulsa Friday. Memphis won the match by scores of 25-19, 19-25, 18-25, 25-23 and 15-12.

The win improved Memphis to 14-15 overall and 6-11 in The American. The victory was the Tigers' second-straight, come-from-behind win on the road. Memphis also won 3-2 after trailing 2-1 at Houston Nov. 13. The Golden Hurricane fell to 18-12 overall and 7-11 in the league.

The Tigers swept the season series over Tulsa. Memphis defeated the Golden Hurricane 3-1 at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse Oct. 16.

Memphis shattered its previous best for blocks and digs in a match with 17 and 95, respectively, against Tulsa Friday. The squad's previous high was 14 blocks in the Oct. 16 home victory over the Golden Hurricane. The previous best for digs was 87 in an Oct. 23 home win over Tulane.

"Our defense came through for us in a big way tonight," said head coach April Jauregui. "That was an incredible blocking and digging performance. At this point in the season, you are playing on tired legs so for us to be springing off the floor was great to see tonight.

"Our offense was struggling, in part to Tulsa's tenacious defense. They wouldn't let the ball hit the floor. So we really needed our serve and block to generate points. When that was clicking, we put ourselves in a good position to win."

Ruhlman posted a career-best 31 digs, and four other Tigers recorded double-digit digs. Comperry had 12 digs and 23 assists, and Myers collected 11 digs and 20 assists for their double-double performances.

Moss had her double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs. Moss' double-double was her second of the season and the second of her career. Fellow senior Catlin Lilly had a near double-double match with nine kills and 14 digs.

Summer Morgan and Brianna Kadiku led the Tigers' block parade. Morgan tied a season-best with nine blocks, and Kadiku added eight blocks. Kadiku's eight blocks were one shy of tying her season high.

McKenzie Hayes led Memphis with 16 kills and also had seven digs and six blocks.

As they did at Houston last Sunday, the Tigers dropped the second and third sets to fall behind 2-1 and set up their dramatic win. Memphis won sets No. 4 and 5 in thrilling fashion for the 3-2 victory.

The Tigers came out fighting in the fourth set and grabbed a 10-7 lead. The score was tied twice in the early-going, but Memphis maintained the advantage throughout the set. The Golden Hurricane pulled to within one at 11-10, but the Tigers responded with a 7-2 spurt to gain some breathing room with an 18-12 lead. Two Moss kills ignited the run.

Memphis continued to hold its six-point lead at 23-17 when Tulsa made a final push. The Golden Hurricane scored the set's next five points to cut the Memphis advantage at 23-22. Tulsa scored four of the five points off Memphis errors. The Tigers, though, regained their composure, and Moss and Kelsey Walter downed kills for the 25-23 win.

In the deciding fifth set, Tulsa took the 1-0 lead, but it was the Golden Hurricane's only advantage. The Tigers scored the next five points – powered by two Hayes kills – for a 5-1 lead. Two Lilly kills helped give Memphis a 12-9 advantage, only to have Tulsa score the next three points to knot the fifth set at 12-all. The Tigers answered with the set's final three points, including two on kills from Morgan and Moss, for the 15-12 win.

"I am excited to get the win," Jauregui said. "We will need a quick bounce-back for Sunday's match against the top team (SMU) in the conference."

Memphis jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the match with an impressive 25-19 first-set win. The Tigers used an 8-1 run and moved out to a 12-5 lead after the set was tied at 4-all. The Golden Hurricane came back to tie the set at 14-all, but never gained the lead again. Two Hayes kills and one Moss kill helped the Tigers push their lead out to 20-15 on the way to the first-set victory.

In the two middle sets, Tulsa grabbed early leads and never trailed. Memphis only tied the score six times in the two sets. The Golden Hurricane won the two sets by scores of 25-19 and 25-18.