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RECORD CROWD SEES LIONS SWEEP WEST ALABAMA
FLORENCE – In front of a record
crowd of 831 fans, the University of North Alabama volleyball team
picked up a key Gulf South Conference victory with a 3-0 sweep over
West Alabama Tuesday evening at Flowers Hall.
With 30-21,
30-28, 30-28 victory, the Lions (16-11) improve 7-2 in the
conference and move into sole possession of second place in the East
Division. West Alabama (23-3) suffered just its third loss of the
season and is 6-2 in the league.
In the first
game, the Lions quickly turned a 3-0 deficit into a 14-6 lead and
never relinquished the advantage. Danielle Palasak led the team with
three kills during the 30-21 win.
The Tigers kept
the game closer in the second contest. With the score tied at 27-27,
UNA scored three of the final four points to pick up the 30-28
victory.
Palasak got a
kill and an ace down the stretch, while a kill by Beyaca Martin
closed out the game to give the Lions a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Lions
overcame a slow start for the third straight game to pull out the
30-28 win and complete the sweep. UWA started out on a 5-1 run
before the home team responded. UNA chipped away and took its first
lead at 20-19 on a kill by Kelly Pratt. The Tigers took a 28-27 lead
before consecutive kills by Pratt and a match-ending kill by Sarah
Roberts sent the record crowd into a frenzy.
Palasak and
Whitney Sanders led the Lions with eight kills each while Alison
Jacobs paced the offensive attack with 32 assists on the night.
Jessica Hansen turned in a match-high 15 digs to lead the defensive
effort.
The Lions will
hit the road next week to face the top team in Division II. In a
rematch of last year’s national championship match, UNA will play at
No. 1 Tampa on Oct. 19. The match will be broadcasted on cstv.com.
UNA will remain
in Tampa to face 13th-ranked Florida Southern and Rollins College
the next day.
Printable Match Statistics -
West Alabama |
