The Alabama State women’s volleyball team showed plenty of fight on this night, battling back from being down most of the first set against a Conference USA opponent before taking the set with some spirited play.
But, UAB was able to make enough adjustments on the location of their shots keeping the Lady Hornets on the defensive as the Blazers prevailed 3-1 (23-25, 25-14, 25-14, 25-21) against the Lady Hornets on Tuesday night at Lockhart Gymnasium.
Alabama State (12-17 overall) looked strong in the early going by rallying back in the opening set behind a robust .346 hitting percentage.
After ASU trailed 19-17, the juniors and seniors came to the rescue. Junior Amber Bennett put down a spike. Senior Erika Thompson notched an ace and junior Rachel Smith pushed it over the net with two hands and into some open space to give ASU a 20-19 lead causing UAB to call for time.
UAB answered back and a Smith block tied it at 21.
Junior Myla Marshall finished it out though when the six-foot middle hitter came up high and swatted it down with authority at the peak of her jump causing a roar from the ASU crowd giving them the first set 25-23.
UAB was able to turn around its fortunes by finding more open floor space to take the second and third sets by the identical score of 25-14. Errors became an issue for ASU as well as the team combined to make 23 attacking errors after committing just four in the opening set.
In the fourth set, the Lady Hornets gave themselves a good look at forcing a fifth set.
After an UAB wayward ball bounded out, it gave ASU a 17-16 lead. UAB took the next three points to grab a 19-17 advantage. A Scott kill cut it to one, but UAB picked up the next two including one that was directed in no man’s land in the center of the court.
A Scott kill made it 23-21, but that’s as close as the Lady Hornets could get as two attacking errors ended it at 25-21. The Blazers snapped a five-game losing skid to improve to 7-23 overall.
Four Blazers finished with double digit in kills including Bethanie Thomas (16 kills), Gabby Deshotel (13 kills) and Sara Richell and Kiriana Hirini (10 kills apiece).
Scott led the Lady Hornets with 12 kills, three digs and a block. Marshall had eight kills and two blocks while Smith added eight kills, five digs, three aces and a block.
Brooke Beasley led the team in assists with 21.
Alabama State will return home to host Alcorn State on Friday at 7 p.m. from Lockhart Gym in a SWAC contest.
