Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
UAB
Volleyball Drops Match With UAB 3-1
10/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Box Score
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.-Marshall volleyball slipped to 9-13 on the season after a 3-1 loss to league foe UAB (6-17) Friday evening at the Henderson Center. The Herd fell to 3-4 in conference play, while UAB improved to 3-5.
Marshall lost the opening stanza 25-17, rebounded to take set two 25-23, but fell in the final two games 25-17, 25-17.
Junior Lauren Legge (Pliny, W.Va.) recorded a team, season, and personal best of 19 kills, and collected a .308 hitting percentage.
"We are definitely regressing," head coach Mitch Jacobs spoke of the match. "Our early season issues were based on a lot of attack errors and we have gone back in that direction. I need to do a better job convincing our players that swinging for the fences every time is just not going to work."
"I thought Lauren [Legge] was our bright spot tonight," Jacobs continued. "Sammie [Bane] is playing so hard and leaving every ounce of energy she has out there. I know that I'm going to continue to follow her lead, and never ever give less than my best for this team. I hope we can pull it together, for no other reason than to allow this tremendous leader to enjoy the final few weeks of her career. I believe in these guys; I have to find a better way to get them up to their talent level."
Herd freshman Maggie Westfall (Gallipolis, Ohio) recorded her first collegiate start, and slammed a kill to begin the match for Marshall. The teams remained close to each other until a four point run from the Blazers at 15-11 gave UAB the momentum to go on and take the set 25-17.
The Herd fired back in game two, when senior Sammie Bane (Brownstown, Ind.) collected back-to-back service aces. Marshall built onto that lead, going up by five points early in the set. The Blazers battled back, using a three point and four point sequence to go ahead at 10-9.
The Herd used its own three point rally to go back on top, and remained ahead by as many as four points at times during the set, before picking up the 25-23 victory in game two.
Post-intermission, UAB controlled the match, going up by as many as eight points before taking the third set 25-17. The Blazers would repeat in the fourth game, taking the same score and the match 3-1.
"I feel that we played a different UAB team than the one we watched all week on video," Jacobs finished. "They definitely found something that has made their motor start going. You have to give Kerry [Messersmith, head UAB coach] a lot of credit to see that team getting after it, after the start they experienced."
Westfall finished the match with three kills, while Bane collected 38 assists.
Marshall will remain at home and welcome Charlotte for a 1 p.m. Sunday matchup. The Herd defeated the 49ers in a 3-2 comeback victory to begin C-USA play earlier this season.
