Tigers Volleyball Wins UAB Invitational Title Saturday

Saturday, September 17

Birmingham, Ala.

11 am

University of Memphis

8-4

UT Martin

4-11

Memphis

UT MARTIN

McKenzie Hayes and Summer Morgan, 2016 Volleyball

Photo by: Michael Wade

Tigers Volleyball Wins UAB Invitational Title Saturday

Sep 17, 2016 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Memphis-UT Martin Boxscore Memphis Season Stats

Hayes named tourney MVP; Root, Lilly selected to All-Tournament Team.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Freshmen Tai Bierria and Addison Root and senior Catlin Lilly each posted nine kills to lift the University of Memphis volleyball team to a 3-0 victory over UT Martin in its final match of UAB's Fight Like Hal Memorial Invitational Saturday.

With the win, the Tigers swept all three matches in the two-day tournament to claim the crown. It is Memphis' second tournament title this month, as it also won the Tiger Invitational Sept. 2-3.

The victory also improved Memphis' record to 8-4. The Skyhawks fell to 4-11.

The tournament was the Tigers' final pre-conference tune-up. Memphis opens American Athletic Conference play with a road trip to Florida next weekend. The Tigers are at UCF Sept. 23 and at USF Sept. 25.

Senior McKenzie Hayes was named the Fight Like Hal Memorial Invitational MVP. Lilly and Root joined Hayes on the All-Tournament Team. In the three matches, Hayes posted 17 kills, nine digs and eight blocks. Lilly had 20 kills, 26 digs and eight blocks, and Root added 23 kills on the weekend.

In Saturday's match, Lilly had six digs and two blocks to go along with her nine kills. Michaella Moss recorded a match-best 14 digs, and Regan Comperry had a match-high 24 assists. Summer Morgan added five kills and six blocks.

The first two sets were tight with Memphis winning both 25-20 and 25-19. There were 12 ties and five lead changes in those two sets.

The first set saw Memphis take an early 8-5 advantage, but the Skyhawks posted a 9-6 spurt to knot the set at 14-all. The score was tied at 16-all when the Tigers went on a 6-1 run to take control at 22-17. Root scored three kills in the spurt. Memphis captured the first set 25-20.

UT Martin took the upper hand early in the second set and had four-point advantages at 7-3 and 11-7. The Tigers responded with a 10-5 run to take the lead at 17-16. Root had four kills, and Bierria added two kills in the run. UT Martin tied the set three times with the last at 19-all, before Memphis closed with six-straight points for the 25-19 victory.

The third set was all Memphis. The Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead and extended their advantage to 15-3. Bierria and Lilly each had two kills in that 10-3 run. The closest UT Martin got was within 11 at 17-6, and the Tigers made quick work the rest of the set on their way to the 25-8 third-set win.