Tigers Volleyball Drops Conference Opener Friday

Friday, September 23

Orlando, Fla.

6 pm

University of Memphis

8-5, 0-1AAC

UCF

12-3, 2-0AAC

Memphis

UCF

Photo by: Michael Wade

Sep 23, 2016 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Memphis-UCF Boxscore Memphis Season Stats

Memphis falls to UCF 3-0, plays at USF Sunday.

ORLANDO, Fla. – University of Memphis senior Summer Morgan had five kills and five blocks and senior Catlin Lilly added five kills and three blocks, but it wasn't enough in the Tigers volleyball's 3-0 setback at UCF Friday. The match was Memphis' American Athletic Conference opener.

The Knights won the three sets by scores of 25-15, 25-19 and 25-17. The loss dropped the Tigers to 8-5 overall and 0-1 in The American. The Knights improved to 12-3 overall and 2-0 in league action. UCF has won six-straight matches, and the Memphis loss ended its three-match win streak.

The Tigers remain on the road in Florida when they travel to Tampa to face USF Sunday. Match time is 11 a.m. (CT) at the USF Sun Dome.

Freshmen Tai Bierria and Addison Root led the Tigers with six kills each. Senior Michaella Moss had 10 digs, and juniors Faith Myers (16 assists) and Regan Comperry (11) split time at setter. Lilly had a team-high .263 attack percentage.

"UCF is a strong team and arguably has one of the league's Player of the Year candidates in Jale Hervey," said Tigers head coach April Jauregui. "We could not stop her tonight.

"Our offense also struggled until late in the match. Our setters distributed the ball well and tried to get multiple hitters involved. We need to regroup for Sunday and try to come away with a win."

Hervey led UCF with a double-double performance of 18 kills and 10 digs. Taylor Gallart also had double-digit kills (10), and Miranda Watkins handed out 21 assists.

The Knights took control of the match early and never looked back. Memphis tied the score four times in each of the final two sets, but only had two leads the entire match.

UCF jumped out to a 9-3 first-set lead and was never threatened, as the closest Memphis got was within four at 9-5. The Knights took the opening set 25-15.

In the second set, Memphis grabbed an early 7-3 advantage. Kills from Morgan and Root pushed the Tigers into the lead. UCF, though, came back and knotted the set at 11-all, and then went on a 10-4 spurt to take a 21-15 lead. Hervey and Gallart each had two kills in the run. The Knights maintained their edge and took the second set 25-19.

Memphis held its own until midway through the third set. After falling behind 5-2, the Tigers tied the set four times, with the last at 11-all. Bierria had two kills early on in the third set. Memphis stayed within striking distance, trailing 18-16 after a Root kill. The Knights, however, closed the third set with a 7-1 run to wrap up the match 25-17.