QUICK START NOT ENOUGH FOR UT MARTIN VOLLEYBALL IN 3-1 SETBACK TO UAB

Saturday, September 1

Martin, Tenn.

1 P.M.

UT Martin

3-3

UAB

5-1

UAB

UT Martin

QUICK START NOT ENOUGH FOR UT MARTIN VOLLEYBALL IN 3-1 SETBACK TO UAB

9/1/2018 8:50:00 PM | Volleyball

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MARTIN, Tenn. – A trio of University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball players secured double-doubles today but the Skyhawks fell to a hot UAB squad by a 3-1 margin (26-24, 20-25, 19-25, 21-25) on Day 3 of the Skyhawk Invitational.

Megan Fair produced her third straight double-double of the tournament with a match-high 15 kills and 11 digs for UT Martin (3-3). Sophomore setter Kenzie Hinshaw flirted with a triple-double today, posting 28 assists, 11 digs and seven kills (against zero errors) in just 11 attempts.

Defensively, Brooke Gyori nabbed her first career double-double with a match-high 22 digs and 10 assists. Gintare Mackeviciute led the way with five blocks for the Skyhawks while also Justine Walker collected four swats.

UT Martin took a 10-4 lead in the first set but eventually the Blazers (5-1) clawed back to take their first lead of the match at 17-16. The Skyhawk deficit grew to 22-18 but UT Martin finished the set with four consecutive points (Hannah Phillips kill, UAB ball handling error, Jessica Reynolds service ace, Walker kill) after facing set point at 24-22. Gyori was responsible for 11 digs in the opening set to help the Skyhawks gain early momentum.

A Gyori service ace provided UT Martin with its first lead of the second set at 9-8 but the Blazers scored the next four points in a row and the Skyhawks would not get within two points for the duration of the set. Fair's five kills and four digs each ranked as team-highs for UT Martin in the second set.

Hinshaw dialed up three early kills to help the Skyhawks take an 11-10 lead in the third set but UAB used a 6-0 run to take the lead. Fair provided a kill to make the score 17-15 in favor of the Blazers but that would be as close as UT Martin would get for the rest of the stanza. Hinshaw wound up with four kills in only five attempts in the third set.

The Skyhawks made a late charge in the fourth set but it ultimately wasn't enough. UAB scored six of the first seven points and went on top by a 20-8 margin before UT Martin generated a 13-4 run. Back-to-back points by Fair (kill, service ace) pulled the Skyhawks within three points at 24-21 but the comeback attempt was too late. Hinshaw (seven assists, six digs) led the way for UT Martin in the final set.

UT Martin concludes the Skyhawk Invitational on Sunday, Sept. 2 when it plays host to Florida A&M. The match, which begins at 11 a.m., is the only match on tap for Day 4 of the 10-match tournament.