Alabama
Alabama State
Women's Volleyball Blanks Alabama State to Open 2011 Campaign
8/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 26, 2011
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama women's volleyball team opened the 2011 season with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-15) win over the Alabama State Hornets in the first match of the Hampton Inn Bama Bash on Friday. It was the first match at Alabama for head coach Ed Allen and the first in the newly renovated Foster Auditorium.
"It was very exciting to get out there and play against another team," said first year head coach Ed Allen said. "We had moments that we were very pleased with the flow of the match and understanding what was happening on the other side. There is still a lot of improving to do over the next 30 matches."
Junior outside hitter Kayla Fitterer led the way with a match-high 19 kills and 14 digs for her first double-double of the season and 13th of her career. Kitterer hit .567 for the match, helping the Crimson Tide hit .553 against the Hornets. Alabama State hit .067 in the opening match of the Hampton Inn Bama Bash.
Cortney Warren added 12 kills on 17 attempts with one error to hit .647 in her first match as a member of the Tide. Setters Stephanie Riley and Andrea McQuaid combined for 43 assists. Riley's had a match-high 25 assists while McQuaid had 18 assists, five kills and eight digs. Kelsey Anderson paced the Tide with a match-high 15 digs.
The Tide got off to a good start, taking the opening set 25-12. After the Hornets closed the score to 6-5, Alabama scored eight of the next nine points to open a 14-6, before cruising to a 13-point victory in the first sent in Foster Auditorium since 1995. Fitterer had eight kills in the opening set, while Riley and McQuaid had eight assists each.
The second set was highlighted Kitterer's seven kills as she hit .600, and went into the locker room after the second set with 15 kills and 10 digs. UA hit .500 in set two en route to a 25-15 win. UA closed out the match in three, winning the third set 25-15. UA posted a .556 hitting percentage in set three, recording 17 kills and just two errors in 27 attempts.
"We wanted to get off the floor in a timely manner," said Allen. "We have two matches in the same day, so we didn't want to expend a ton of energy preparing for our second match. We were able to play nine players in the match and we were able to get others an opportunity to play."
Alabama returns to action later tonight in the Hampton Inn Bama Bash with a 7 p.m. match against the Austin Peay Lady Govs.
