This afternoon the Bearcats (3-10) (1-2 AAC) welcomed in Memphis (11-5) (1-2 AAC) to Fifth Third Arena as they wrap up a two game home stand as they are looking to bounce back in the win column after a hard fought three set to one loss versus SMU on Friday.
Starters for the Bearcats- Abby Walker, Kailea Carrier, Payton Frederick, Caroline Endres, Marie Tobergte, Shaye Eggleston, Avry Tatum
Starters for the Tigers- Loren Roberston, Gigi Crescenzo, Bailey Houlihan, Kayla Wilson, Jasmyn Tate, Kate Bass, Miaya Smith
Set 1- The Tigers would jump out to an early 2 set lead before the Bearcats rallied off three straight points as they took a 3-2 lead over the Tigers as they were looking to set the tone early here at Fifth Third Arena. The Tigers would respond with a three-point run as they would take a 6-4 lead over the Bearcats as they were looking to create some offense after a slow start. The Tigers would keep their foot on the gas as they rattled off 4 points following kills Miaya Smith and Gigi Crescenzo to give the Tigers an 11-6 lead over the Bearcats. The Bearcats would look to bounce back following a three-point run resulting in consecutive attacking errors from Memphis outside hitter Kayla Wilson, and a Carly Glendinning kill the Bearcats would cut the Tigers lead to two as they trailed 12-10. The Tigers would keep their foot on the gas as they jumped out to an 18-13 lead over the Bearcats, but the Bearcats forced a timeout after cutting the lead to two, where they trailed 19-18 following kills from Glendinning and Tatum along with a service ace from Caroline Endres, and just like that the Bearcats were right back in this one. The Bearcats would look to finish this one out as they would take a 24-22 lead following a late run sparked by a Tatum kill, and service ace from Payton Frederick, but the Tigers would respond and tie this set at 24. The Tigers would take set one 26-24 following a 4 point run to end it as Tigers middle blocker Kate Bass hammers one home to close the door.
Set 2- The Bearcats would jump out to an early 8-3 lead over the Tigers following a 5 point burst as Glendinning got the momentum going after a huge kill, following consecutive errors by the Tigers, Glendinning followed up with another kill and block and was continuing to make her presence known at the net as she looks to make it consecutive weeks with a spot on the AAC Weekly Honor Roll. The Bearcats would keep their foot on the gas as they continued to dominant the net as the Tigers couldn’t get anything going offensively behind the Bearcats block between Glendinning, Tatum, and Carrier as they have recorded four blocks so far here in Set 2. The Bearcats would keep their foot on the gas as they would jump out to a huge 20-5 lead after the early run flattened the Tigers and the Bearcats would continue to feed the hot hands in Tatum and Glendinning as they took advantage of the Tigers errors on offense as they finished set one hitting nearly .230% while hitting just .000 heading to the third set after the Bearcats would take set two, 25-10 after the Tigers collapsed as they couldn’t find a way around the Bearcats huge blocks at the net as it was indeed a block party in Clifton as the Bearcats finished with seven blocks in Set 2.
