Alabama Volleyball Weekly Notes: UAB Match
9/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
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CRIMSON TIDE VISITS IN-STATE FOE UAB
The Alabama volleyball team continues its season-opening road swing tonight in Birmingham with a 7:30 pm tilt versus UAB. The Crimson Tide is slated to face just three in-state opponents this season with tonight's UAB match, a Sept. 18 matchup with Jacksonville State and then a pair of contests with SEC rival Auburn.
BAMA OPENS YEAR WITH TITLE
For the second consecutive season the Tide volleyball team posted an undefeated record en route to earning the tournament title in their season debut event. Alabama posted 3-1 victories over Marshall, Florida State and Illinois State last weekend to win the Barker GMC Classic crown. The championship marked the 22nd in program history and was the third for the Tide in Coach Judy Green's tenure.
TIDE TRIO EARNS TOURNEY HONORS
Alabama got a balanced performance from its entire lineup at the Barker GMC but three players garnered special attention earning all-tournament honors. Sophomore Erin Heffner led the way being named the MVP of the event. Juniors Erin Price and Jennifer Bibber were also rewarded for their stellar play.
ACES HIGH
Prior to the season, Coach Green thought that the Tide's aggressive serving could be a weapon for the team. After the opening weekend she knows it can be as Alabama notched double-digit aces in each of the three matches at the Barker GMC Classic. Last season, UA was one of the league's top servers but never tallied three consecutive double-digit performances. In fact, the Tide had just nine matches with 10+ aces a year ago. Alabama served up 18 points in the championship match with Illinois State, the most since a 19 ace performance versus Mississippi State on Nov. 23, 1990.
SCOUTING REPORT
UAB... The Blazers opened the 2002 season at the University Centre Hotel Invitational (Gainesville, Fla.) hosted by the University of Florida. UAB dropped all three of its matches in the event falling to Florida (3-0), Illinois (3-0) and Rhode Island (3-0).
2002 SLATE OFFERS UP CHALLENGES
Of the 26 opponents on the Tide's schedule this season... 16 finished the 2001 campaign with winning records including 8 with over 20 victories ...Five teams won conference titles. Eight teams on the UA ledger earned invitations to the NCAA Tournament.
CHASIN' THE BIG 500
With the recent success of the Crimson Tide, the team and its coach are both keeping an eye ahead on a fast-approaching mileston. With 491 all-time wins, Alabama needs just 9 victories to get the 500th in program history. In addition, head coach Judy Green (who began her coaching career with a successful stint at Montevallo) is only 12 "Ws" from earning her 500th career win.
TIDE LOOKS FOR 4TH STRAIGHT WINNING SEASON
With three consecutive winning seasons the Crimson Tide volleyball program is already in the midst of a historic run since it is the first time in modern volleyball history (since 1989 reinstatement of the sport at UA). What's next? Alabama would like to make it four in a row and also post the team's third straight 20+ win season. The program's first ever NCAA Tournament invitation is also high on the players and coaches goal list.
"CAVE" GETS UPGRADES WITH MORE TO COME
Bama's volleyball home — The CAVE — recently got some a much deserved upgrade as a new floor design was painted on the competition playing surface. A wider crimson border and an elephant head on each end were added to give the the floor at more "Alabama" flavor. Other additions include hanging action photos of the Tide seniors and juniors along with a gigantic Bama "A" logo greeting fans as they enter the gym. New volleyball specific scoreboards have also been installed. In addition to these upgrades, more amenities are planned for next summer when two sets of 500 chairback permanent, retractable bleachers will be installed on each side of the court giving Alabama a truly volleyball specific playing arena.
CUSIMANO TO MISS ANOTHER SEASON
Redshirt freshman, Jennifer Cusimano, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during the first match last season reinjured her knee during some preseason training and will miss the upcoming season following a second surgery.
TIDE EXTRAS...
? Freshman Kelley Potter made her collegiate debut in the season opener as the first UA player to play the newly created "Libero" position.
? Following their tourney victory at Illinois State, the players reaped a little more attention... the team's flight was less than full and the flight crew invited the "Champs" to move up to the empty first-class section.
? Freshman walk-on Mary Beth Moore (a native of Double Springs, Ala.) took the first plane ride of her life when UA boarded a Northwest flight headed for Detroit on Aug. 29.
? 5-10 sophomore Kory Tull made her first career start for the Tide against Marshall... as a middle blocker. Tull was expected to challenge for the libero role but with the preseason loss of Jennifer Cusimano and the slow healing of senior Shelly Adamcik's foot, the coaches decided to give Tull a look and she made the most of her chance.
