Oct. 30, 2009

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Behind 14 kills from Andrea Lalic and a strong blocking performance, the UAB volleyball team defeated UCF, 3-1 (25-23, 25-23, 16-25, 25-22), Friday night for a key Conference USA win.

With 10 kills and 11 digs, Jordan McDonald recorded her second straight double-double and her third of the season on a night that focused as much on raising awareness for breast cancer as it did volleyball.

Friday's contest served as UAB's Dig for the Cure match as the Blazers held their Scare Away Cancer fall festival on the Bartow Arena Concourse. Through donations and pledges, the UAB volleyball team raised money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, one of the world's foremost organizations in the fight against breast cancer.

"We're glad to get a win, but tonight was more about raising awareness for breast cancer than it was about winning and losing," UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith said. "We appreciate everyone who came out to the match and who donated to the Susan G. Komen organization. We're happy that we can help in some way."

On the court, UAB (13-13, 6-5 C-USA) featured a balanced attack as usual. Behind Lalic and McDonald, Patty Paniagua posted nine kills, followed by Michelle Uzoh with eight and Savannah Pegg with seven.

Alison Woods ran the UAB attack with 47 assists, while Heather Thomas led the Blazers defensively with 15 digs.

Thomas moved into fourth place on the UAB single-season digs chart with 462 through 26 matches this year. She leapfrogged Ivana Bozic (453 in 2008) and Julie Myers (458 in 1987) and is now closing in on Danielle Reaves' third-place total of 476 (1990).

For UCF (11-14, 3-9 C-USA), four players finished in double-figure kills, led by Erin Campbell with 15. Andee Youngblood handed out a match-best 49 assists for the Knights, and Meredith Murphy led four Knights in double-digit digs with a match-high 22.

UCF turned in better numbers than UAB in most statistical categories. The Knights out-killed (60-52), out-hit (.213-.200) and out-dug (80-69) the Blazers. But good serving, strong blocking and the ability to finish out tight sets propelled UAB to the win anyway.

The Blazers notched seven aces on the night, including three each by Lalic and Pegg. At the net, UAB managed 12 team blocks as Paniagua led the way with six and Uzoh and Woods added five each.

"Blocking has been one of our strengths all season, and it was again tonight," Messersmith said. "We made some key blocks, especially in the first two sets, and we really served well for most of the night."

UAB won its three sets Friday by a total of seven points. The Blazers were tied as late as 18-18 in the first frame, 22-21 in the second and 20-20 in the fourth but managed to pull each one out.

UAB returns to action Sunday with another home match. The Blazers host Southern Miss in C-USA action with first serve set for 1 p.m. CT at Bartow Arena.