Alabama Athletics
Alabama Volleyball Bounces Back with Friday Sweep over Buffalo
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama volleyball rebounded from Thursday’s loss with a convincing three-set sweep over Buffalo on Friday, taking down the Bulls by scores of 25-18, 25-14 and 25-13.
Alabama (4-1) was dominant in all phases of the game against Buffalo (2-3), hitting .309 as a team, its highest hitting percentage of the season and highest since the Feb. 27 win last year against Mississippi State. The Crimson Tide applied a ton of pressure at the service line, boasting a season-best 11 aces against just four errors while the Bulls only scored one ace. Alabama has double-digit aces in two of its five matches so far this season after doing so just three times last year. The sweep was the Tide’s first at home since beating Mississippi State on Oct. 17, 2018.
All 17 players on Alabama’s roster saw playing time in Friday’s win, with Abby Marjama leading the offense with 10 kills and just one error on 18 swings for a .500 hitting percentage along with a season-best four aces. Alyiah Wells finished with a .583 clip, as the junior middle blocker is now hitting a combined .525 over her last three matches. Freshman setter Brooke Slusser led the team with a season-high 19 assists.
Alabama trailed 9-3 early in set one and eventually cut the deficit to two at 13-11 before rattling off a string of 10 unanswered points to swing ahead 20-13. The Tide held on to win the opening frame, 25-18, and was in control from that point on, leading for the rest of the match.
Stat Leaders
- Kills: Abby Marjama - 10
- Assists: Brooke Slusser - 19
- Digs: Dru Kuck - 17
- Blocks: Kendyl Reaugh, Alyiah Wells - 3
- Aces: Abby Marjama - 4
Set-By-Set
- Set 1: Alabama 25, Buffalo 18
- Set 2: Alabama 25, Buffalo 14
- Set 3: Alabama 25, Buffalo 13
Match Notes
- The sweep was Alabama’s first at home since Oct. 17, 2018
- All 17 players on the roster saw playing time in the match
- For the second straight match, Alabama set a new season-high hitting percentage, finishing at .309
- With a season-high 11 service aces, the Tide has double digit aces in two of its five matches so far this season after doing so just three times all last year
Up Next — Crimson Tide Invitational Presented by the New Holiday Inn Express & Suites
- Alabama vs Southern Miss – Tuscaloosa, Ala.
- Saturday, Sept. 4 – 2 p.m. CT
