MONTGOMERY, Ala. - After fighting their way in to the 2022 SSAC Volleyball Championship match as the No. 4 seed, the University of Mobile Volleyball team fell to the top-seeded Toppers of Blue Mountain College on Saturday, Nov. 12 in straight sets. The conference championship for Blue Mountain is the program's second-straight, with Mobile taking home the trophy in 2020. Following the conference tournament, both Mobile and Blue Mountain will continue their 2022 seasons in the 2022 NAIA Volleyball National Championship Tournament.
Match Recap; Blue Mountain Too Strong
Blue Mountain entered the 2022 SSAC Volleyball Championship Tournament as the clear favorites, having lost just two matches on the season. Mobile did manage to hand the Toppers one of their two losses early in the season, but since then, Blue Mountain has looked unstoppable. In the conference tournament, Blue Mountain put in a perfect 5-0 record to claim the conference crown. Against Mobile, Blue Mountain finished 3-1 during the season, with two wins coming in the conference tournament in Montgomery, including in the final on Saturday. Blue Mountain swept the Rams, 25-14, 25-14, 25-21 Saturday afternoon.
Mobile only managed a .076 hitting line against Blue Mountain, hitting just .020 against the Toppers the day prior. In 132 attack attempts, the Rams tallied 34 kills and committed 24 attack errors. For Blue Mountain, the Toppers finished with 39 kills and just six errors.
Individually, the Rams were highlighted by sophomore Tatum Beech, who finished with a team-high 19 assists. With Beech's 19 assists, the Spanish Fort, Ala. native surpassed the 1,000 career assists plateau in her collegiate career. Beech's accomplishment in just her second year in a 6-2 offensive system is a remarkable feat as she will look ahead to the 2,000 career assist mark in her next couple of seasons.
Brinkley Hearn and Aleah Kennedy led the team with productive offense as Hearn tallied eight kills on a .316 hitting mark and Kennedy hitting .300 with three kills. Abby Andrews finished with eight kills as well, and Corrina Porch-Maxey recorded seven. Defensively, Andrews led Mobile with 14 digs, while Beech notched 12 digs. Both Lexi Gillette and Layton Adams ended the afternoon with 11 digs each. Additionally, Adams tallied 13 assists.
Rams Not Done
Despite the loss in the conference championship, UM Volleyball's 2022 season remains alive as the Rams will compete in the 2022 NAIA Volleyball National Championship Tournament. The appearance for Mobile is their first since 2020 and just their second in the last six seasons.
Mobile's opening round destination will be decided on by the NAIA in the NAIA Volleyball selection show on Monday, Nov. 14. The opening round of nationals is scheduled for Nov. 19.
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
