University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
Appalachian St
Volleyball Finishes Second at Cal's Steakhouse Memphis Volleyball Tournament
Sep 07, 2002 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 7, 2002
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - - The University of Memphis volleyball team (5-4, 0-0 C-USA) managed a split of the final two games of the Cal's Steakhouse Memphis Volleyball Tournament in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse, Saturday.
The Tigers dropped their second five-game match in as many days to eventual tournament champion, Middle Tennessee, 3-2. The Tigers came back to post wins in games two and three, but the Blue Raiders capitalized on a struggling Memphis offense to win games four and five. MT hit a game high .594 in the fourth game, which they won 30-17.
Brittany Barnett (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) led all players with 22 kills, but Middle Tennessee spread the ball around, with six Blue Raiders tallying double-digit kills to pick up their fifth win of the season. Nancy Nellans (Indianapolis, Ind./St. Joseph) added 13 kills and led the Tigers again with five service aces. Karisse Baker led Middle Tennessee with 15 kills, while tournament MVP Katie Thiesen added 14.
In the final game of the tournament, the Tigers came out with a lot of energy, storming out to a game one win, 30-16. Appalachian State, who came into the tournament undefeated at 5-0, struggled to keep the ball in play, hitting negative in games one and three and hitting just .109 in game two. The 30-26 game two Tiger win was the closest score of the match, as Tiger sophomore Tiara Gilkey (Creve Couer, Mo./Pattonsville) led Memphis with nine kills. Barnett added eight kills, while Gilkey led the defense with 10 digs. Barnett and setter Heather Watts (Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline) were both named to their second-straight all-tournament team.
Katherine Dean was the only player in the game to tally double-digit kills, leading all players with 10.
The home tournament was the last home cooking the Tigers will see in awhile, traveling to Yale next weekend to participate in a tournament there, Friday and Saturday. Memphis will face Sacred Heart, Lehigh, Marist and Yale at the tournament.
In Other Cal's Steakhouse Memphis Tournament Action
Middle Tennessee 3, Birmingham-Southern 1
KeKe Deckard led all players with 23 kills as Middle Tennessee sealed up the tournament title with a 3-1 win come from behind win over Birmingham-Southern, Saturday. Middle Tennessee trailed in the first game before rallying back to win 31-29. But BSC answered back with a 30-27 win of their own in game two before the Blue Raiders squeaked out two more close wins, 30-27 and 32-30 to finish the tournament with an unblemished 3-0 record. Erin Hillstorm, who was named to the all-tournament team, added 21 kills and led the team with 23 digs and four service aces in the win, while Katie Thiesen, who was named the tournament MVP, added 13 kills.
Jenny Thomasson led Birmingham-Southern with 20 kills, while Rachel Malmborg added 19.
Arkansas State 3, Birmingham-Southern 1
The day got off to an exciting start when Arkansas State and Birmingham-Southern opened the second day of play, Saturday. Arkansas State, recovering from a 3-0 loss to Memphis on the first day of the tournament, won the first game 31-29 before taking the second game 30-14. The Panthers answered back with a 30-23 win in game three to force a fourth, and eventually deciding game, which the Lady Indians won, 30-22. Arkansas State, who played in just two matches in the tournament, finished with a 4-2 overall record, while Birmingham-Southern left the tournament with a 2-6 record. BSC's lone tournament win was a 3-2 thriller over host Memphis, Friday.
Heather Malaschak led all players with 16 kills in the win, while Miranda Griffin added 11 kills. Rachel Malmborg led Birmingham-Southern with 14 kills, while Stephanie Harrington, who earned all-tournament recognition, added 11. Jenny Thomasson and Danielle Graff each added 10 kills in the loss.
Cal's Steakhouse Memphis All-Tournament Team
Katie Thiessen, Middle Tennessee, MVP
Erin Hillstorm, Middle Tennessee
Brittany Barnett, Memphis
Heather Watts, Memphis
Stephanie Harrington, Birmingham-Southern
Chrissy Finch, Appalachian State
Kyendall Waters, Birmingham-Southern
