Alabama
2-0
Buffalo
0-1
Second Sweep Pushes Volleyball to 2-0, Defeating Buffalo Friday Night
8/30/2019 6:57:00 PM | Volleyball
BUFFALO, N.Y. – After sweeping Marist in its season opener Friday morning, Alabama returned to Alumni Arena and earned another three-set victory, this time over tournament host Buffalo.
It marks the first time since 1998 that the Crimson Tide has started the season with back-to-back sweeps.
Alabama (2-0) won the opening frame, 25-20, before overcoming a late Buffalo (0-1) lead in the second with six-straight points to win, 25-23. The Tide overcame a similar deficit early in the third, tying it at 15-15 before pulling ahead to win, 25-22, and complete the sweep.
Junior Doris Carter was a force on offense, tallying nine kills with just one error on 22 swings, good for a .318 hitting percentage. Freshman Alyiah Wells and senior Ginger Perinar were close behind with seven each, with Wells hitting .538 along with five blocks. For the second-straight match, junior Kaylee Thomas led the team in digs with 16.
This marks the first time since 1998 that Alabama has started the season with back-to-back sweeps ????#BamaVB #RollTide
— Alabama Volleyball (@AlabamaVBall) August 30, 2019
From Head Coach Lindsey Devine
"Preseason tournaments are opportunities to form your identity. Today, we were a team that showed resiliency. We had to come back multiple times today in a tough road environment. It's not easy when you dig yourself a hole but I'm proud of the way we played in the present, stayed together and played as a team."
Stat Leaders
- Kills – Doris Carter (9)
- Blocks – Hayley McSparin, Alyiah Wells (5)
- Assists – Mylana Byrd (32)
- Digs – Kaylee Thomas (16)
Set-by-Set
- Set One (Alabama 25, Buffalo 20): The teams traded evenly to start the first set, with Buffalo building a 9-7 lead after six tie scores before Alabama responded with four-straight to move ahead 11-9. Three more tie scores put it at 13-13 and a 3-0 run from the Tide was answered with three unanswered from the Bulls to knot it up again at 16-16. A 7-2 run from Alabama made it 23-18, with Buffalo burning both of its timeouts in the process. At set point, 24-20, a ball originally ruled an attack error was challenged by Alabama and overturned to give the Tide the five-point victory.
- Set Two (Alabama 25, Buffalo 23): Set two was another close contest, with eight tie scores before a kill from graduate student Brooke Kuhlman tied it up again at 10-10. A solo block from junior Doris Carter broke another tie later and gave Alabama a 17-16 lead but four straight points swung Buffalo back ahead, 20-17, and Alabama spent its first timeout. The Bulls built a 23-19 lead before the Tide stormed back with six unanswered points to win the set, 25-23.
- Set Three (25-22): Buffalo held the early momentum in the third frame, pulling ahead 7-1. Alabama chipped away at the deficit, eventually coming back to tie it just past the halfway mark at 15-15. Soon after tied at 17-17, Alabama scored four in a row to lead 21-17. The Bulls drew as close as one point down the stretch, trailing 22-21, but the Tide closed it with a 3-1 run to complete the sweep.
Set 2 | Alabama scores six unanswered to close out the set and win, 25-23, and take a 2-0 match advantage!#BamaVB #RollTide pic.twitter.com/mqfOoKKLyp
— Alabama Volleyball (@AlabamaVBall) August 30, 2019
Key to the Match
Trailing 23-19 late in the second set, Alabama rallied to score six unanswered points and earn the come-from-behind victory, 25-23, and take a 2-0 match lead
Player of the Match
Sophomore Alyiah Wells led the team in blocks for the second-straight match, adding seven kills on offense with no errors on 13 swings for a .538 hitting percentage.
Up Next
Alabama concludes its weekend at the UB Invite on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 9 a.m. CT against Colgate (0-0)
For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaVball on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Volleyball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
