Junior outside hitter Abbie Jackson and UH volleyball went 2-1 over the weekend at the Bama Bash to end non-conference play. | Courtesy of UH athletics
Houston volleyball traveled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the Bama Bash, going 2-1 on the weekend.
UH defeated Western Carolina 3-0, dropped its matchup against host Alabama 3-1 and ended non-conference play with a sweep against Tennessee Tech.
Here’s a closer look at each match:
Friday
In the first set against the Catamounts, UH ran away with the victory comfortably after a 4-0 run put the Cougars up 10-5.
A kill from sophomore setter Annie Cooke, who finished with 40 assists, prompted a Western Carolina timeout, and UH kept the momentum going.
The Cougars took the opening set 25-20.
Things weren’t as smooth for UH in the second set, as the Cougars trailed 19-17.
Coming out of the huddle, UH went on a 6-0 run thanks to service aces from Cooke, and big kills from senior middle blocker Isabel Theut and senior outside hitter Kortlyn Henderson.
Theut recorded 15 kills in the match.
After taking the 23-19 lead, the Cougars sealed the win 25-21.
The third set was neck-and-neck until UH went on a big run, scoring seven out of the next eight points. Junior outside hitter Abbie Jackson, who posted 13 kills and 9 digs, got the run going with a kill.
The Catamounts couldn’t recover from the Cougars’ burst of intensity as UH won the final set 25-19.
In the second game of the day, UH took on the Crimson Tide.
The first set was a nail-biter up until the end.
When Alabama began to create a little space, Houston regrouped after a timeout.
Henderson put down back-to-back kills to keep the Cougars alive while the Crimson Tide were at game-point.
A service ace from senior setter Peanut Childers brought the score to 24-23. But it wasn’t enough to take the set, as UH fell 25-23.
In the second, both teams took turns going on runs and the game shifted multiple times.
But after the Cougars scored five points in a row to lead 21-18, UH held on to the narrow lead to survive 25-22.
The Crimson Tide jumped out to a 4-1 lead quickly in the third and steadily led the Cougars until back-to-back errors from UH widened the gap.
Down 24-19, the Cougars could not pull off the comeback.
Alabama won the third set 25-19.
The Crimson Tide went on a 7-2 run to start pulling away in the fourth set.
Down 18-13, UH scored the three points to get within two.
But coming out of the huddle, Alabama took advantage of late errors from the Cougars to defeat UH 25-20.
Senior outside hitter Kennedy Warren led with 15 kills and 10 digs, while Jackson added 14 kills.
Senior libero Kate Georgiades finished with 24 digs.
Saturday
In the final game of the Bama Bash, the Cougars faced the Golden Eagles.
A 5-1 run sparked by a kill from graduate student middle blocker Bridget Wallenberger put UH ahead 18-14.
But coming out of the timeout, Tennessee Tech got back within one.
Tied at 24, the Golden Eagles suffered a service error, which gave the Cougars the boost they needed to win the first set 26-24.
After going back and forth, the game was tied at 19 in the second set.
After a kill from Jackson, UH went on to score six of the next seven points to win 25-20.
The Cougars were off to a hot start, leading 10-4 early on.
UH stayed in front, going on several small runs to seal the victory 25-19.
Jackson led with 15 kills and 6 digs.
