UNA VOLLEYBALL TIES MIDDLE TENNESSEE 2-2 IN EXHIBITION PLAY

FLORENCE – The University of North Alabama volleyball team battled to a 2-2 exhibition tie against Middle Tennessee Saturday afternoon at Florence High School's Coffee Gymnasium.

After dropping the first two sets by identical 25-21 scores, the Lions rallied to post a 26-24 victory and a 25-23 win to secure the tie. Anna Katherine Griggs led UNA with 11 kills on the day.

Taylor Floyd added nine kills for the Lions. Katy Floyd and Hayley Martin also had eight kills each. Martin posted a team-high .462 hitting percentage.

UNA hit under .200 for the first two frames before finding its offense. After falling in the first two sets, the Lions faced a 16-9 deficit in the third game. A 10-2 run then gave the home team its first lead.

A service ace by Tatum Fouche tied the score at 18-18 before a kill by Maggie Sullivan gave UNA a 19-18 lead. MTSU tied the game with a kill and reached another set point with a 24-22 lead before the Lions closed the game with four straight points.

Kills by Griggs and Martin tied the score before Griggs and Mattrice Harris teamed up for a block to give UNA a 25-24 lead. An attack error on the Blue Raiders then ended the frame.

In the fourth set Martin and Katy Floyd had five kills each to lead the way.

For the match, Kennedey Johnson had 19 assists. Breylee Linder also had 13 assists, all coming in the fifth set. Defensively, Ella Ratzloff led the way with 18 digs. Taylor Floyd also rounded out a double-double performance with 11 digs on the day.

UNA will open the 2022 season next weekend with a pair of matches at the UNC-Asheville Invitational. The Lions will face Stonehill and the host Bulldogs on Friday.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Anna Katherine Griggs: MB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#15 Breylee Linder: S; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#25 Maggie Sullivan: MB; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#13 Kennedey Johnson: S; 5' 9"; Freshman

#12 Katy Floyd: OH; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#3 Tatum Fouche: DS/LIB; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#24 Mattrice Harris: MB; 6' 1"; Senior

#10 Ella Ratzloff: DS/LIB; 5' 4"; Senior

#11 Taylor Floyd: OH; 6' 1"; Senior

#21 Hayley Martin: OH; 5' 11"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#6 Anna Katherine Griggs
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: MB

#15 Breylee Linder
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: S

#25 Maggie Sullivan
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: MB

#13 Kennedey Johnson
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: S

#12 Katy Floyd
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: OH

#3 Tatum Fouche
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: DS/LIB

#24 Mattrice Harris
: 6' 1"; Senior
: MB

#10 Ella Ratzloff
: 5' 4"; Senior
: DS/LIB

#11 Taylor Floyd
: 6' 1"; Senior
: OH

#21 Hayley Martin
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: OH