Tigers Volleyball Drops 3-2 Decision To Temple Sunday

Sunday, October 2

Memphis, Tenn.

12 pm

University of Memphis

8-8,0-4

Temple

10-4,3-1

Temple

Memphis

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Tigers Volleyball Drops 3-2 Decision To Temple Sunday

Oct 02, 2016 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Memphis-Temple Boxscore Memphis Season Stats

Bierria, Kadiku tie season bests for kills versus the Owls.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis freshmen Tai Bierria and Brianna Kadiku both tied season bests in kills, and junior Faith Myers recorded her second double-double of the season, but it wasn't enough in Temple's 3-2 American Athletic Conference victory Sunday.

The Owls won the match by scores of 22-25, 21-25, 25-17, 25-19 and 15-9. The five-set match was Memphis' first of the season.

With the setback, the Tigers' record is even at 8-8 overall. Memphis is 0-4 in league action. Temple improved to 10-4 overall and 3-1 in The American.

Bierria knocked down a season-high tying 12 kills and nearly posted a double-double with nine digs. Kadiku also tied a season high with nine kills. Senior Catlin Lilly had her seventh double-figure kills match of 2016 with 12 versus Temple. She added eight digs.

Myers' second double-double of the season included a team-high 31 assists to go with 11 digs. Sophomore Mady Ruhlman led the Tigers with 15 digs.

Memphis held a 2-0 match lead, but could not stop the Temple comeback.

The first set was tight early with the teams tied at 7-all. The Tigers then put together a 5-1 run to take the lead for good at 12-8. Kadiku and McKenzie Hayes posted kills in the mini-run. Memphis maintained its advantage the rest of the way for the 25-22 first-set victory.

The second set had four ties and one lead change, but all came in the first 12 points. After the last tie at 6-all, Memphis used a 5-0 spurt to take an 11-6 lead and did not trail the remainder of the set. Kadiku and Summer Morgan each scored a kill in the run.

After intermission, the Owls started their comeback. Memphis tied the third set at 8-all, but Temple went on a 4-1 run to gain a 12-9 lead and its first true advantage of the match. The Tigers fought back to within two at 15-13. The Owls, though, closed the set with a 10-4 run to win 25-17 and cut Memphis' match lead to 2-1.

A similar scenario occurred in the fourth set. The teams were tied at 8-all again when Temple pushed out to an advantage it did not lose. A 3-0 Owls spurt gave them an 11-8 lead that they kept for the rest of the set. Temple extended its lead to six at 21-15 before closing with a 25-19 win to knot the match at 2-2.

In the fifth and deciding set, the Owls jumped out early and never looked back. Temple grabbed a 6-2 advantage and held on for the 15-9 set win and the 3-2 match victory.

Memphis returns to the road for two American Athletic Conference matches next weekend. The Tigers face East Carolina Friday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. (CT) and then meet Cincinnati Sunday, Oct. 9 at 12 p.m. (CT).