LIVINGSTON, Ala. – It will be a Battle of the Tigers inside Pruitt Hall Monday night as the University of West Alabama volleyball team welcomes Stillman College to Livingston for a 6 p.m. non-conference matchup.
West Alabama enters Monday at 11-1 overall and a perfect 4-0 at home after sweeping Talladega and Miles on Thursday to close out the UWA Invitational. The Tigers have won nine consecutive matches since their lone loss of the season against Carson-Newman on Aug. 29.
UWA has been particularly dominant during its recent stretch, winning each of its last six matches in straight sets. The Tigers have not dropped a set since their five-set victory over Henderson State on Sept. 4.
West Alabama
West Alabama has produced a balanced attack through its first 12 matches, totaling 543 kills while hitting .284 as a team. UWA's defense has limited opponents to a .133 hitting percentage and 9.29 kills per set.
Klára Bobánová leads the Tigers offensively with 113 kills, averaging a team-high 2.90 kills per set while hitting .302.
Jazlyn Snow follows with 85 kills and a .369 hitting percentage, while
Katerina Korre has contributed 87 kills on a .295 clip.
Duru Seber has provided another efficient option in the middle, recording 72 kills while hitting .432, the best percentage among UWA players with at least 100 attacks. Snow and Seber are tied for the team lead with 15 total blocks apiece.
Freshman setter
Rachele Zanini has directed the offense with 374 assists, averaging 9.35 per set. Zanini has also contributed 108 digs and 20 service aces.
Defensively,
Bailey Keef leads West Alabama with 149 digs and 3.55 digs per set, while Zanini is second with 108. At the service line, Korre leads UWA with 23 aces, followed by
Ola Winiarek with 22 and Zanini with 20.
Serving has been a major advantage for West Alabama this season. The Tigers have accumulated 103 aces through 42 sets, an average of 2.45 per set, compared to just 51 aces by their opponents.
Stillman College
Stillman enters Monday's Battle of the Tigers at 2-6 overall after dropping a five-set decision to Talladega College on Friday in its HBCU Athletic Conference opener.
Stillman jumped out to a two-set advantage against Talladega, taking the opening frames 25-19 and 25-16 before the Tornadoes rallied to win the final three sets, 25-22, 25-17 and 15-13.
Makasia Crawford and Ava Cameron led Stillman with 11 kills apiece. Crawford hit .450 in the match, while Cameron totaled 15 points. Keslyn Myers-Pittman added nine kills and 13 points.
Kelis Conley recorded 17 assists and 11 digs, while Zoey Sales led Stillman defensively with 16 digs.
Stillman also faced NCAA Division II opponent Tuskegee earlier in the week, falling in straight sets. Cameron paced the Tigers with 12 kills and 13.5 points, while Eva Stewart added seven kills, 10 digs and two service aces.
Series History
West Alabama holds a 4-0 advantage in the recorded all-time series against Stillman, including a pair of victories during the 2024 season.
UWA traveled to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 19, 2024, and came away with a 3-1 victory before the teams met again in Livingston on Oct. 9, where West Alabama earned another 3-1 win.
The programs also met twice during the 2009 season, with West Alabama sweeping both contests.
Monday's matchup will mark the fifth recorded meeting between the programs and the third Battle of the Tigers played in Livingston.
Match Information
Stillman College at West Alabama
Monday, Sept. 14 | 6 p.m.
Pruitt Hall | Livingston, Ala.
Following Monday night's matchup, West Alabama will turn its attention to Gulf South Conference play, beginning Friday, Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. inside Pruitt Hall.
