Big nights from Orf and Bianco not enough for Tigers in 3-1 loss to Tulsa

Thursday, February 25

Memphis, Tenn.

4:00 PM

University of Memphis

3-4,0-3AAC

Tulsa

1-2,1-2AAC

Tulsa

Memphis

Photo by: Brandon Dill

Big nights from Orf and Bianco not enough for Tigers in 3-1 loss to Tulsa

Feb 25, 2021 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – An unexpected extra week of rest seemed to provide a jolt of energy to the Memphis Tigers on Thursday night, but they were unable to keep pace with the offensive attack of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in a 3-1 defeat, 17-25, 25-27, 25-19, & 23-25. The Tigers rallied to extend the match to four sets but couldn't connect offensively enough in the fourth set to keep the match alive. Tulsa posted a hitting percentage of .280 nearly 100 points higher than the Tigers (.191).

Memphis (3-4, 0-3) got out to an early lead in the opening set, as a kill from Miaya Smith gave the Tigers a 7-3 lead. Tulsa (1-2, 1-2) rallied back into the set and used a 5-0 run to take an 11-10 advantage. At 15-13 Tulsa, the Tigers nearly came away with a block on two straight points, but both were deflected wide for Tulsa points. The Golden Hurricane stormed through the rest of the set with a 4-0 run that made it 21-14, and while a block from Elizabeth Orf staved off Tulsa's first set point, the following Memphis serve went long and gave Tulsa the win, 25-17.

Set two remained close throughout, with no team leading by more than two points until a 5-0 Tigers run gave them a 22-19 advantage. Memphis continued the attack and held set point at 24-21 after a kill from Smith, but Tulsa held steady on a kill from Lauren Isenberg, an error from Smith, and a kill from Kylie Trefflich, one of her team-high 16 on the night. Another kill from Smith gave the Tigers their fourth set point opportunity, but Tulsa won the next three points of the set with two consecutive Memphis errors and a kill from Trefflich for a 27-25 win.

The teams followed a similar path in the third set to that of the second set, as neither team was able to go on an early run. A 5-0 spurt from Memphis gave the Tigers a 13-9 lead. Memphis followed with a 4-2 run that gave the Tigers their largest lead of the match at 17-11. Tulsa got within two points at 19-17, but a 6-2 Memphis run, capped by a kill from Orf, kept Memphis alive in the match 25-19. Orf led all players with 20 kills, a career high.

After failing to close out the match in straight sets, the Golden Hurricane jumped out to an early 6-2 lead in the fourth set, which forced Memphis into a quick timeout. The Tigers followed that timeout with an 8-4 run, as a kill from Orf followed by a block assist for graduate transfer leveled the set 10-10. The teams traded Tulsa leads and ties over the next 20 points, but a 4-0 run highlighted the Tigers' rebound to get back to 20-20. Memphis fought off two match points at 24-21 and 24-22, but for the second time in the match, a Tigers' service error ended the set and this time the match, 25-23 and 3-1.

Tigers Tidbits

Memphis fell to the Golden Hurricane for the fourth consecutive match and third straight time at home
With 20 kills, Elizabeth Orf set a new career high, besting her 13 kills against Tulane on Feb. 12, 2021
With 53 assists, Sabrina Bianco crossed the 50-assist mark for the second time this season
Bianco also posted her third consecutive double-double and fifth this season, adding 11 digs to her 53 assists
Bailey Houlihan led the Tigers in digs with 25, the sixth time in seven matches the freshman Libero has done so

Up Next
Memphis turns around quickly in search of its first conference win of the season. The Tigers will be back in the gym in the early morning on Friday to get set for a 1 p.m. start against Tulsa. Friday's matchup will be Memphis' last home game for a full month, as the only two home matches remaining after Friday are March 26-27 against SMU. Between home matches, Memphis will play twice at both Wichita State and Houston.