Tigers Volleyball Falls To Cincinnati Friday

Friday, November 25

Memphis, Tenn.

2 pm

University of Memphis

14-17, 6-13

Cincinnati

22-9, 17-3

CINCINNATI

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Nov 25, 2016 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Memphis-Cincinnati Boxscore Memphis Season Stats

Memphis to celebrate Senior Day before Saturday's match.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis senior Catlin Lilly and junior Faith Myers both posted double-double performances, but it wasn't enough as the Tigers fell to Cincinnati 3-1 in American Athletic Conference volleyball action Friday. The Bearcats won the match by scores of 25-22, 25-17, 20-25 and 25-16.

The setback dropped the Tigers to 14-17 overall and 6-13 in the conference. Cincinnati improved to 22-9 overall and 17-3 in the league. The Bearcats wrapped up their season as the American Athletic Conference runner-up.

Memphis finishes its 2016 season Saturday, Nov. 26 with a 2 p.m. (CT) match against East Carolina. The match is set for the Elma Roane Fieldhouse, and admission is free.

Moments prior to Saturday's match, the 2016 Tigers senior class will be honored. The class includes McKenzie Hayes, Lilly, Summer Morgan and Michaella Moss. The squad's four-year manager, Allie McNamara, also will be recognized.

"We want to finish on a high note tomorrow and leave it all on the court," said head coach April Jauregui. "It's always a tough match with East Carolina.

"Our goal is to bring the amount of energy we had in today's match tomorrow. If we do that, we give ourselves a chance for a victory."

On Friday, the Tigers fought back in the third set after falling in the first two sets, but it was too much of a hole out of which to climb. Lilly collected her ninth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 17 digs. Myers also had a double-double with 12 assists and 10 digs.

Freshman Tai Bierria recorded her sixth double-figures kills match with 12 versus the Bearcats. She also nearly had a double-double with nine digs. Junior Regan Comperry led the team with 20 assists, and Mady Ruhlman, the reigning conference Defensive Player of the Week, posted a match-high 21 digs.

"I thought we had some good moments against a top-40 team in Cincinnati," Jauregui said. "Cincinnati is a team that may possibly represent our league in the NCAA Tournament.

"We had some really good stretches where we scored. I'm happy with how we responded in the third set, but congrats to Cincinnati on today's win."

After dropping the first two sets, Memphis rallied in the third for a win. Cincinnati jumped out to an early advantage and held a 10-8 lead. Over the set's next 14 points, there were six ties, with the last at 16-all. Two Bierria kills and one Lilly kill helped Memphis keep pace with the Bearcats.

Memphis then used a 5-0 run to push out to a 21-16 lead and never looked back. Two Summer Morgan kills and one kill each from Bierria and Lilly powered the Tigers' run. The Bearcats closed to within two at 21-19, but the Tigers finished the set with a 4-1 spurt for the 25-20 win. Lilly's third kill of the set clinched the win.

The Tigers hoped to carry that momentum over to the fourth game, but Cincinnati was too strong. The Bearcats were tied twice, but never trailed in the set. Cincinnati held a 10-8 lead and saw a Memphis mini-run knot the game at 11-all.

That was as close as Memphis got to the lead in the fourth set. Cincinnati used a 7-1 run to take the lead at 18-12. From there, the Bearcats kept the Tigers at arm's length to secure the 25-16 victory in the fourth game.

The opening set was a tight affair with 10 ties and five lead changes. Memphis tied the set at 11-all and jumped out to a 16-12 advantage. Kills from Hayes and Bierria helped the Tigers gain the lead. The Bearcats, though, fought back and used an 8-3 run to take a 20-19 lead.

The first-set score was tied three times down the stretch at 20-all, 21-all and 22-all, but the Cincinnati captured the final three points for the 25-22 win.

In the second set, Cincinnati grabbed a 10-7 lead and steadily extended its advantage throughout the remainder of the game. The Bearcats won the second set 25-17.