By: by Jason Hanes
Box Score
CHICAGO - Alyssa Lang was named to the all-tournament team after recording her second straight double-double as the Kennesaw State volleyball team fell, 3-1 (23-25, 25-13, 25-12, 25-21), to Memphis on Saturday evening at the UIC Invitational.
The Owls (2-5) came off the deck to take the first set. After trailing by three points late, the Owls rallied back to swipe the first set, 25-23. KSU hit .387 for the set, getting 15 kills as a team, including six for Lang and four by Sabrita Gulley.
The next two sets proved to be a different story as the Owls sputtered in serve reception against Memphis (4-2). The Tigers kept the Owls off-balance, recording six aces and inducing numerous free balls from KSU. The Tigers hit .438 in set two, with the Owls committing seven attack errors in the third set to give the Tigers 25-13 and 25-12 wins in the middle frames.
In the third set, the Tigers jumped out to a 7-2 lead and the Owls could never recover. KSU took advantage of more errors on the attack and the serve by the Tigers, but couldn't muster enough offensively, hitting .043 for the final set in falling 25-21.
Lang recorded a match-high 10 kills to go with a match-high 13 digs to earn the double-double. Sabrita Gulley had eight kills and nine digs, while Ceci Mattei had six kills and two aces.
Memphis was led by Altrese Hawkins and her match-best 17 kills. Marija Jovanovic had 11 kills, eight digs, and seven aces as well for the Tigers.
KSU will be back in action this Friday at 5 p.m. when it faces Weber State to start play at the Runnin' Bulldog Invitational in Boiling Springs, N.C.
