Sept. 19, 2008
Final Stats
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford University volleyball team grabbed its first win the UAB-Samford Invitational Friday afternoon as they defeated Memphis, 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-10). The Bulldogs (9-2) fell in the first set but turned the match around quickly, winning three straight sets. Samford continues it's best start ever while the Tigers move to 7-4 on the season.
Senior Ashley led the Bulldogs in the match, posting her fourth double-double on the season with 14 kills and 13 digs, while also grabbing three block assists. Kirstein Sosnowski followed close behind, knocking down 12 kills and leading the Bulldogs in hitting percentage with a .333 average. Sosnowski also had four block assists and one set assist. Hillary Fountain had 37 assists and four aces along with three digs while Courtney Gay added 10 digs and one ace.
Rachel Gadberry posted eight kills, five block assists and two digs while Sara Sears added four kills, three digs and two block assists. Samantha Bland had three aces, five digs and one assists while Sheriden Stangohr added two kills, two digs and three block assists. Sarah Gardner had four assists.
The Bulldogs will play again tonight at 7 p.m., when they take on the Trojans of Troy University. A full recap and results will be available on www.samfordsports.com after the completion of the match.
Samford 3, Memphis 1
Samford took quick two-point lead in the first set on back-to-back kills by Adams, but Memphis quickly tied the score and took over, eventually leading by three. The Bulldogs were able to climb within one several times but the Tigers would not relinquish their lead. Memphis went on to win set one, 25-20.
Memphis grabbed the first point of the second set and seemed to set the pace for how things would play out. Fighting through a few ties, the Tigers took a three-point lead, but Samford rallied back to tie the score again on a block by Adams and Gadberry. Another block by Gadberry and Sosnowski gave the Bulldogs the lead and Samford took over the flow of the game, soon taking a five-point lead. The Tigers were able to get within two points but Samford closed it out down the stretch and won game two, 25-22.
Memphis handed Samford its first point of the third set with a service error and Fountain added an ace to take the early two-point advantage. The Tigers then got on the board but two consecutive kills by Sosnowski gave Samford a 4-1 lead. With Samford leading 9-6, Memphis took a timeout. However, straight out of the break, Adams knocked down a kill to extend the Bulldogs' lead to four. Samford continued to push the lead out to seven and Memphis fought back, but the Bulldogs took set three, 25-20.
The Bulldogs dominated the fourth and final set, taking a 6-0 lead to start out. A Memphis error game Samford its first point and Adams and Gadberry added to the lead with a block. Adams then followed up with a kill, and an ace by Fountain put the Bulldogs up, 4-0. An error by the Tigers made it a five-point game and with a kill by Gadberry, the score was 6-0. After Memphis got on the board, Samford only allowed the Tigers to score nine more points, taking set four, 25-10.
