UAM Sweeps Day One in Nashville
The UAM volleyball team earned a pair of victories to open the Ray Thrasher Memorial Tournament in Nashville Friday. The Blossoms rolled to each win defeating Fisk University and Christian Brothers University in straight sets.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello volleyball team earned a pair of victories to open the Ray Thrasher Memorial Tournament in Nashville Friday. The Blossoms rolled to each win defeating Fisk University and Christian Brothers University in straight sets.
UAM improved to 4-3 on the season after claiming the victory in both matches Friday.
The Blossoms started the day with a matchup against the Fisk University.
UAM went back and forth early against the Bulldogs in the first set before taking advantage of a pair of 4-0 runs and a 5-0 run to claim control of the set. The Blossoms closed out the first set by scoring the final six points in a row to win comfortably 25-14.
In the second set UAM dropped to an early deficit, but managed to bounce back quickly. After trailing 7-6 the Blossoms responded with a 13-4 run that put them in the driver’s seat of the set holding a 19-11 advantage. The two teams traded points and small runs late in the set, but UAM came out on top 25-18.
The Blossoms got out in front quickly in the third set opening with 9-3 run to hold the early advantage. Fisk battled to make the contest close, but UAM answered any challenge the Bulldogs presented including finishing the set on an 8-2 run to win the set 25-17 and take the match 3-0.
On offense, Faith Wilemon and MikaelaBrown led the attack for the Blossoms with 11 and eight kills, respectively.
Kalin Duncan paced UAM in assists dishing out 19 to go along with four service aces.
Defensively, Katelyn Richbourg registered 13 digs to go along with a pair of service aces. The Blossoms also tallied 12 total blocks as a team.
In the second match of the day UAM took care of business again to pick up their second win of the tournament defeating Christian Brothers University in straight sets.
After dropping the first two points of the opening set, the Blossoms bounced back with an 8-3 run to take a lead they would not relinquish. The two teams traded rallies throughout the set, but UAM never let the Bucs climb back on top holding on to take the set 25-21.
The second set was a back-and-forth affair that went down to the final few serves. UAM held the lead late 24-21, but CBU managed to respond to knot the score at 24-24. The Blossoms were unfazed, however, as back-to-back kills by Riley Krenek and Brown closed the set victory 26-24 for UAM.
In the third set UAM took control from the start and never looked back. The Blossoms opened with the first four points of the set and continued to keep the Bucsat an arm’s length cruising to the set win 25-10 for another match sweep.
Offensively, Brown and Wilemon were joined by Krenek in pacing the attack for UAM. Brown finished with 10 kills while Wilemon and Krenek each registered eight.
Duncan led the team in the assist category again dishing out 31.
On defense, Richbourg tallied another 17 digs to lead the team.
UP NEXT
UAM continues play at the Ray Thrasher Memorial Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee with two matches Saturday. The Blossoms will play Union University at 11 a.m. and host school TreveccaNazarene at 3 p.m.
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