MULTIPLEX AT CRAMTON BOWL | MONTGOMERY, Ala. - After securing two upsets over higher seeds and advancing to the 2023 SSAC Volleyball Championship match on Friday evening, the University of Mobile Volleyball team faced top seed Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) in the title match on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 11, eventually falling in straight sets.
Coming into the postseason as the clear favorite of the tournament, Blue Mountain managed 25-15, 25-23, 25-17 set wins over the Rams for the program's second-straight SSAC Championship, staying perfect on the season against SSAC opponents. For Mobile, the Rams finished this year's conference tournament in Montgomery, Ala. with a 3-2 record, with both losses coming against the Toppers. The championship final was the fourth time this year that Blue Mountain has come away with a win over Mobile.
Mobile's tournament was highlighted by the semifinal victory on Friday. The Rams entered the postseason as the No. 5 seed in the tournament, knocking off the fourth-seeded Skyhawks of Point University (Ga.) to advance to the semis. In Friday's semifinal match, Mobile upset the No. 2 seed of Loyola University (La.) in four sets to advance to the championship and receive an automatic bid to the 2023 NAIA Volleyball Opening Round.
In Saturday's championship defeat, Mobile tallied a .234 team attack percentage, recording 37 total kills on 107 attempts. The Toppers of Blue Mountain, who have maintained a consistent offense all season, hit .345 with 51 kills on 119 attack attempts. Mobile recorded 12 attack errors, with the Blue Mountain finishing with 10.
Layton Adams continued her strong postseason in the championship match, finishing with a team-high 12 kills and 13 defensive digs. Adams added 10 assists to her numbers and managed an individual hitting percentage of .345. Corrina Porch-Maxey followed Adams' offensive production with 10 kills on a .280 hitting line, while Tatum Beech led the team with 14 assists. Defensively, both Aspen Adams and Lexi Gillette collected 10 digs each to follow Layton Adams' dig total. The Rams' front line came away with four total blocks, led by Aleah Kennedy with two.
What's Next?
With the SSAC receiving two automatic bids to the NAIA Volleyball National Championship, Mobile's appearance in the conference final automatically qualifies the Rams for an opening round match in the national tournament for the second-straight season. Opponents and locations will be announced on Monday afternoon, Nov. 13 by the NAIA.
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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.
