H. AUSTILL PHARR GYMNASIUM | MOBILE, Ala. - After a 3-1 start to the 2024 season last weekend in West Palm Beach, Fla., the University of Mobile Volleyball team played its first home matches of the year in Pharr Gymnasium on Thursday evening, Aug. 22, finishing the day 2-0 across the doubleheader played against non-conference competition.
The two matches on Thursday began a weekend stretch of 13 total volleyball matches across six teams in Pharr Gymnasium over the next three days. Mobile is scheduled for three more matches in the hosted tournament this weekend, two coming on Friday, Aug. 23 and one on Saturday, Aug. 24. The Rams enter Friday with a 5-1 overall record.
Thursday Recap; Rams Secure Two Four-Set Wins
Mobile began action against Louisiana Christian University, winning the match 3-1 over the Wildcats. The Rams opened the match with 25-18, 25-15 wins across the first two sets, but saw LCU force a fourth set with a 25-22 victory in the third. In the fourth and eventual final set, Mobile managed a 25-17 win.
Offense was solid in the four-set match for Mobile, with the team hitting just under .300 in the match. In 148 total attacks, the Rams produced 61 kills and just 18 errors. Meanwhile, LCU only hit .107 in the loss, tallying 33 kills and 19 attack errors.
Corrina Porch-Maxey led all players with 13 kills, while sophomore Emma Hampton put together a career-best 11 kills. The Mobile middle blocker duo of Dazsha Dean Middleton and Emily Osborne also secured strong nights at the net, combining for 20 kills with both players hitting north of .400. Reigning SSAC Setter of the Week Tatum Beech led the Rams with 22 assists, followed closely by Layton Adams with 21. Starting libero and reigning SSAC Defender of the Week Jaci Drinnon managed 10 assists and paced the defense with 15 defensive digs.
Following the win over Louisiana Christian, Mobile was back in action against the Fire of Southeastern University (Fla.) looking to go 2-0 on the night. Southeastern got the better of Mobile to start with a 29-27 win in set one, but the Rams proved to be too strong across the next three sets with 25-19, 25-19, 25-20 victories.
Offense slipped some in the nightcap for Mobile, with the team hitting just .228 with 25 attack errors. However, the Rams recorded 63 kills against the Fire, led once again by Corrina Porch-Maxey with 18. Porch-Maxey finished her Thursday with 31 kills, giving her a team-high 84 kills in just six matches this season.
Tatum Beech recorded 30 assists in the victory over Southeastern, the second most in her collegiate career. Meanwhile, Jaci Drinnon notched 35 digs, a career-best in her short time with Mobile.
Action-Packed Friday
Pharr Gymnasium is set for six total matches on Friday, Aug. 23, with Mobile playing at the 10:00 a.m. CT and 4:00 p.m. CT slots. The Rams will face Florida Memorial to begin Friday's action, while facing Southern University of New Orleans (La.) later on Friday afternoon. All matches of this weekend's volleyball tournament will be broadcasted live at the University of Mobile Sports Network.
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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.
