Florida Atlantic drops series-opener at UAB

Friday, October 20

Birmingham, Ala.

7 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

12-10,4-5AAC

UAB

3-19,1-9AAC

Fla. Atlantic

UAB

10/20/2023 10:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Florida Atlantic Owls (12-10, 4-5 AAC) had a setback on Friday, falling in four sets against the UAB Blazers (3-19, 1-9 AAC) inside Bartow Arena.

Florida Atlantic 1 – UAB 3

Arianna Beckham and Lauryn Green led the Owls in the match, tallying 14 and 12 kills respectively. Green registered a team-leading .611 hitting percentage in the match, while also adding two blocks, a dig, and an assist. Beckham tied for a team-leading three blocks, while also adding seven digs. Victoria Hensley posted a team-high 39 assists and added seven digs, three kills and a block. Valeria Rosado led the Owls back row, tallying a team-best 12 digs, while narrowly missing a double-double with nine kills and two assists against the Blazers.

UAB took the first two points before the Owls scored four-straight to take a 4-2 advantage early in the first. The two programs battled back and forth through a 13-12 UAB advantage, before the Owls scored six unanswered to break open the set and hold a 18-13 lead. The Blazers responded with a 9-4 run to even the set at 22-22. The squads traded points through a 24-24 tie, however Florida Atlantic closed out the opening frame with kills from Ru and Beckham to claim the 26-24 win and take a 1-0 lead.

The Owls and Blazers continued to battle back and forth into the second, eventually leading to a 16-14 Florida Atlantic lead. However, the Blazers went on a 5-0 run to take a three-point advantage late at 19-16. The Owls cut the deficit to one at 20-19 after a 3-1 run, but the Blazers outscored the Owls 5-2 to close out the set 25-21 and even the match at one.

Florida Atlantic scored four unanswered to open the third after a trio of Blazer errors and a service ace from Hensley. However, the Blazers answered back with a 5-1 run to even the set at 5-5. The Blazers then took the lead, eventually holding a 18-14 advantage late in the third. The Owls battled back with a pair of 3-0 runs to outscore the Blazers 6-1, retaking the lead at 20-19, but it wasn't enough as UAB took the third, 25-22, after a 6-2 run to lead 2-1 entering the fourth.

Kills from Beckham and Rosado got the Owls out to a 2-0 lead to open the fourth, but a 5-0 run from UAB quickly put the Blazers back out in front, 5-2. The Blazers maintained their lead through a 13-8 advantage, before the Owls once again paired a couple 3-0 runs together to outscore UAB 6-1 and bring things even at 14-14. The Blazers responded with a 5-1 run to push their lead back out to four, 19-15. The Owls rallied to cut the deficit down to just one at 20-19, but that was as close as things would get. UAB closed the set on a 5-2 run to close out the match, 25-21, and capture the four-set win, 3-1.

Up Next

The Owls will look to bounce back tomorrow against the Blazers as they close out their two-match series at 2 p.m. inside Bartow Arena.

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