LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama volleyball team continues Gulf South Conference play this weekend with a pair of road matches, traveling to Montevallo on Friday before making the trip to Huntsville to face UAH on Saturday.
West Alabama enters the weekend riding one of the strongest stretches in program history. The Tigers extended their winning streak with a 3-0 sweep of Christian Brothers on Tuesday night in Memphis, taking the match 25-14, 25-22 and 25-19.
The sweep also pushed UWA's school-record streak to 37 consecutive sets won.
The Tigers produced 41 kills, seven service aces and 65 digs against Christian Brothers while holding the Buccaneers to a .059 hitting percentage.
Jazlyn Snow and Klára Bobánová led the attack with 10 kills apiece, while Snow hit .350.
Katerina Korre and
Ola Winiarek each added eight kills.
Rachele Zanini directed the offense with 26 assists and added 14 digs, while Winiarek also collected 14 digs and
Bailey Keef finished with 11.
West Alabama has been efficient throughout the season, hitting .283 as a team through 18 matches while averaging 13.05 kills and 11.53 assists per set. The Tigers have also held opponents to a .107 hitting percentage.
Bobánová leads UWA with 160 kills and a .296 hitting percentage, while Korre has recorded 148 kills and is hitting .324. Snow has added 118 kills with a .325 percentage, while
Duru Seber has been one of the Tigers' most efficient attackers with 93 kills and a .425 hitting percentage.
Zanini has orchestrated the offense with 546 assists, averaging 9.58 per set, while also contributing 173 digs. Keef leads the back row with 206 digs, averaging 3.43 per set.
Scouting Montevallo
Montevallo enters Friday's matchup at 10-4 overall and 3-1 in GSC play following a 3-1 road victory over Shorter on Tuesday.
The Falcons opened conference play with three consecutive victories, defeating Union 3-0, Christian Brothers 3-1 and Lee 3-2 before falling 3-0 at UAH on Sept. 25. Montevallo responded to the loss with Tuesday's four-set victory over Shorter.
Serving played a major role in the Falcons' latest victory as Montevallo recorded a season-high 18 aces. Ava Wind led the effort with six aces and 28 digs, while Ellie Scharlow and Katie Wilkerson finished with nine kills apiece. Blakeley Robbins added 20 assists.
Friday will also mark Montevallo's home opener after the Falcons played their first 14 matches away from Central State Bank Arena.
Scouting UAH
UAH enters the week at 11-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play and will host Mississippi Christian on Friday before welcoming West Alabama to Spragins Hall Saturday afternoon.
The Chargers have been particularly strong at home, posting a 4-0 record in Huntsville. UAH's conference victories have come against Christian Brothers, Union and Montevallo, with its lone GSC loss coming in five sets at Trevecca Nazarene.
UAH most recently earned a 3-0 victory over Montevallo on Sept. 25, taking the match 25-15, 25-19 and 27-25. Kayla Ward led the Chargers with 13 kills while hitting .765, with Cooper Garrett and Mary Grace Bundrant adding eight kills each.
Anna Clare Hutto recorded 19 assists in the victory, Garrett added 18 assists and Brooklyn Stiles led the defensive effort with 19 digs.
The weekend presents UWA with back-to-back matches against teams that each enter the week with a 3-1 GSC record.
Match Information
West Alabama at Montevallo
Date: Friday, Oct. 2
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Central State Bank Arena | Montevallo, Ala.
West Alabama at UAH
Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Spragins Hall | Huntsville, Ala.
