MOBILE, Ala. | H. Austill Pharr Gymnasium - It was a battle of rams on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 26 as the University of Mobile Volleyball team hosted the 25th-ranked team in the NAIA in Columbia International University (S.C.). Saturday's meeting between both programs that call rams as their mascot went five sets, with the ranked Rams of CIU coming away victorious in the end, snapping a five-match win streak that the Mobile Rams put together over the last week. Additionally, Saturday's meeting is the first of two meetings this season between both programs, with Mobile and CIU meeting again next Friday, Sept. 1 in the annual Faulkner University Invitational in Montgomery, Ala.
For Mobile, the Rams see their overall 2023 record fall to 5-3 on the season ahead of a four-match tournament next weekend.
Match Recap: Upset Bid Falls Short for Mobile
Columbia International started Saturday's match against Mobile strong, dominating set one by the score of 25-14. Prior to Saturday's meeting, both teams played a total of three additional matches over the last two days as part of the 2023 UM Volleyball Invitational. The Saturday afternoon bout between Mobile and CIU was the final scheduled match of this year's tournament and fatigue may have been a factor on both sides. Following the tough set one loss for Mobile, head coach Jon Campbell managed to get his Rams prepared for the second set of the match.
In set two, both teams stayed close with one another on the scoreboard, but it was home team of Mobile that ended the second set with a 26-24 win to even the match. The second set win gave the home Rams newfound confidence and energy which eventually helped propel Mobile to a 25-22 set three win. Needing just one set victory to close out an upset over No. 25 Columbia International, CIU bounced back and changed momentum of the match following a 25-18 win in set four, forcing a deciding fifth set.
In the final set, CIU got off to a hot start and won seven of the first nine rallies. From there, the quick start for CIU proved to be too much for Mobile to overcome as Columbia International earned a 15-8 win in the fifth set to win the match, 3-2.
Throughout the five-set thriller, Mobile's offensive consistency took a step back from previous matches played as the team hitting percentage sat right at .100 on 180 total attacks. Mobile committed 33 attack errors against CIU, tallying 52 team kills. Additionally, service errors came back to haunt Mobile, with the team finishing with a season-high nine service errors from behind the line.
On the individual side, two seniors led Mobile in consistent attacks, with Aleah Kennedy and Jordan Wood being the lone two hitters to record a hitting percentage over .250 in the match. Wood finished with 10 kills and a .261 hitting line, while Kennedy hit .250 and tallied nine kills. Corrina Porch-Maxey led the team with 16 kills and Kendel Lee Frazer managed 11 kills, but both players hit in the mid-100s throughout the five-setter.
Defensively, libero Lexi Gillette went off and led all players in the match with 24 defensive digs, and Layton Adams finished second on the team in digs with 16, while leading Mobile with 24 assists. Overall, the Rams' back line came away with 81 digs.
Faulkner University Invitational on the Horizon
With Mobile finishing last week 3-1 overall in the hosted tournament in Pharr Gymnasium, the Rams have a tough task ahead in the form of four matches next weekend in Montgomery, Ala. Mobile will look for revenge over Columbia International to start things off next weekend with a 11:00 a.m. CT match on Friday. Following the opener on Friday, Mobile is set to face Tennessee Wesleyan University at 3:00 p.m. CT. The following day, Mobile is scheduled to battle two more non-conference foes in Southeastern University (Fla.) and Reinhardt University (Ga.) to conclude the tournament. All matches of next weekend's tournament will be broadcasted live HERE.
FOLLOW THE RAMS
For complete coverage of University of Mobile Athletics, follow the Rams on social media at /MobileRams (Facebook), @UMobileRams (Twitter), and @umobilerams (Instagram), or visit the official home of the University of Mobile Athletic Department at https://umobilerams.com/.
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.
