NEW ORLEANS, La. - The University of Mobile Volleyball team competed in a tri-match in New Orleans, La. on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 3 as three teams competed in the Big Easy Blastoff hosted by Xavier University of Louisiana. Mobile opened the afternoon with a 3-0 sweep over Louisiana Christian University and later fell in four sets to Xavier (La.). Following the 1-1 day on Saturday, Mobile's overall record moves to 6-4 on the season.
Mobile 3, Louisiana Christian 0
At 3:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, Mobile met Louisiana Christian for the first time ever in volleyball. Mobile controlled each of the first three sets, winning set one 25-21, while following the set one victory with two-straight 25-17 victories across the second and third sets.Â
The Rams hit well as a team, tallying a .283 hitting percentage, while committing just five errors in 106 attack attempts. True freshman Corrina Porch-Maxey led the way for Mobile with nine kills, while hitting .400 on the dot. Porch-Maxey's nine kills came in 20 attack attempts.Â
Seniors Abby Andrews and Jordan Wood joined Porch-Maxey in putting together nice offensive matches as both players finished with seven kills each. Andrews managed a .318 hitting percentage, while Wood continued her hot start to the 2022 season with a .389 hitting percentage. Through 10 matches played, Wood currently leads the Rams with a .369 hitting mark and has hit under .250 in just three matches this year.
In head coach Jon Campbell's 6-2 offense, both Tatum Beech and Layton Adams continued to add to their assist totals on the season as Beech led Mobile with 15 assists and Adams finishing with 13. Defensively, Beech joined freshman libero Lexi Gillette as the only two Rams to record double-digit dig totals as Beech recorded 10, while Gillette finished with a team-high 11.
XULA 3, Mobile 1
Following Mobile's sweep over LCU, the Rams followed with a defeat to Xavier (La.)Â in four sets. XULAÂ came out hot in front of a rowdy 200 plus XULA crowd, defeating the Rams in set one, 25-15. However, Mobile answered with a 25-17 set two victory and led set three late over the Gold Nuggets. Set three may have been the deciding factor in the match as XULAÂ trailed Mobile 23-20 late. XULA managed to put together five unanswered scores, however, and stole set three from the Rams to gain momentum. The momentum and confidence on XULA's side carried over to set four as the Gold Nuggets claimed set four with a 25-14 victory to earn the match win.Â
Both teams struggled hitting consistently, with XULA tallying a .173 hitting percentage, while Mobile only hit .098 as a team. In 153 attack attempts, Mobile committed 27 errors and recorded 42 kills. Abby Andrews led Mobile with nine kills and Tatum Beech recorded a team-high 20 assists. Defensively, Lexi Gillette once against led Mobile in the digs category with 15. She was joined by Layton Adams and Madison Bergeron with double-digit dig totals as Adams ended with 14 digs and Bergeron tallying 12.
One More Road Match Before Home Return
Mobile is scheduled for one more road match before playing their first match on their home floor next weekend. Mobile will meet Pensacola Christian College on Tuesday, Sept. 6 in Pensacola, Fla. for a 7:00 p.m. CT match. Following Tuesday night's match, the Rams will play four-straight matches at home in Pharr Gymnasium beginning next Friday, Sept. 9.
Â
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.
