Memphis Volleyball Falls To Louisiana Tech Friday

Friday, September 8

Ruston, La.

7 pm CT

University of Memphis

3-5

Louisiana Tech

3-5

Memphis

Louisiana Tech

Kelsey Walter/Hannah Flowers, 2017 Volleyball

Sep 08, 2017 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Memphis-Louisiana Tech Boxscore Memphis Season Statistics

Tigers to close out play at Lady Techster Invitational Saturday.

RUSTON, La. – University of Memphis junior Kelsea Bivins had a season-best 16 kills and sophomore Tai Bierria and senior Faith Myers both recorded double-doubles, but the Tigers dropped a 3-1 decision to host Louisiana Tech Friday night. The home team won the match by scores of 16-25, 25-23, 25-16 and 25-22.

The match was the Tigers' second of the day in the 2017 Lady Techster Invitational. Memphis wraps up play in the two-day tournament Saturday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 10 a.m. (CT).

The Tigers' record now is 3-5. The Lady Techsters are 3-5.

Tigers Tidbits

After knocking down 12 kills earlier Friday, junior college transfer Kelsea Bivins had an even better performance in the night cap. She downed a season-high 16 kills for her second double-figures kills match of the day and season.
Sophomore Tai Bierria posted her second double-double performance of the day and the sixth of her career vs. Louisiana Tech. She had 15 kills and 11 digs. Earlier vs. Sam Houston State, Bierria registered a career-high 17 kills and 15 digs.
Senior Faith Myers logged the 19^th double-double of her career and her fourth of the season with 21 assists and 11 digs vs. Louisiana Tech. The 21 assists match was her fourth 20-plus performance of the season.
Freshman Alyssa Kronberg had 19 digs for her seventh double-figures digs performance in eight matches this season.

Memphis vs. Louisiana Tech Stats Leaders

Statistic	Memphis	Louisiana Tech
Kills	Kelsea Bivins, 16 Tai Bierria, 15	Madeline Davis, 11 Marta Monne, 10
Assists	Faith Myers, 21 Regan Comperry, 15	Brooke Short, 39
Digs	Alyssa Kronberg, 19 Tai Bierria/Faith Myers, 11	Marta Monne, 15 Carter Mirich, 13
Total Blocks	Kelsey Walter, 3	Madeline Davis, 5 Marie-Hel Verlinden, 4

How It Happened

Overall Match
- The match featured 19 ties and only nine lead changes.
- The four-setter was Memphis' third of the season, and the Tigers are 0-3 in those matches in 2017.
- The Tigers now have a 2-2 record when they win the first set.
Set One (Memphis 25-16)
- The opening set had only one tie – early at 2-all – and the Tigers never trailed.
- After the 2-all tie, Memphis put together a 10-4 spurt to grab a 12-6 advantage. Kills from Hannah Flowers and Brianna Kadiku and a service ace from Kelsey Walter highlighted the run.
- The Lady Techsters closed to within four at 16-12, but Memphis answered with a 9-4 run to finish off the first set. Tai Bierria (3 kills), Kelsea Bivins (2) and Walter (2) accounted for seven of the Tigers' nine points in the spurt.
Set Two (Louisiana Tech 25-23)
- The second set was the most competitive with 11 ties and six lead changes.
- After the teams battled to a 4-all tie, Memphis moved out to an 8-4 lead on the strength of three-straight Bivins kills.
- Louisiana Tech responded with a 6-2 spurt to knot the set at 10-all.
- Over the next 14 points, there were four ties, with the last coming at 17-all on an Allison Grzebien kill.
- The Lady Techsters then used a 4-0 spurt to push out to a 21-17 advantage, only to see Memphis answer with a 6-0 run to take a 23-21 lead. Two Flowers kills keyed the spurt.
- Louisiana Tech, though, had the final answer with a 4-0 run for the set win.
Set Three (Louisiana Tech 25-16)
- Memphis took a 1-0 lead and also knotted the set at 2-all early. However, both were the Tigers' only lead and tie of the third game.
- The Lady Techsters broke a 2-all tie with an 8-2 run for a 10-4 lead and never trailed.
- The closest the Tigers got the rest of the way was four points at 11-7.
Set Four (Louisiana Tech 25-22)
- Memphis began the set strong with a 4-1 start. Bierria, Bivins and Kadiku each had a kill in the spurt.
- The Tigers maintained a lead until 6-5 and then fell behind 7-6. Memphis did not have a lead the rest of the set.
- A Bivins kill tied the set at 15-all, but Louisiana Tech used a 3-0 spurt to push ahead for good.
- Down the stretch, Memphis pulled to within one at 22-21 and 23-22, but was unable to get the equalizer.