Aug. 28, 2008

PDF Match Notes (UAB at Aquafina Invitational)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB volleyball team is set to open the 2008 season Friday at the Aquafina Invitational hosted by eighth-ranked Florida. The Blazers travel to Gainesville, Fla., to battle the host Gators Friday at 6 p.m. CT and Western Michigan Saturday at 5 p.m. CT.

UAB enters the season looking to build upon the successes of the past two years. Since head coach Kerry Messersmith took over the program in 2006, the Blazers have posted back-to-back 20-win seasons and appeared in two straight Conference USA Tournament championship matches.

After an NCAA Tournament berth in 2006, UAB came up just short last season in a 3-2 loss to Tulsa in the league championship match. The 2008 Blazers, however, return 10 letterwinners from that team, including five players who have started. Eight talented newcomers also join the program, giving Messersmith the deepest team she has had at UAB.

"Our goal is a conference championship," Messersmith said. "We've developed a much more difficult non-conference schedule to prepare ourselves for the strong competition of Conference USA, and that tough schedule starts this weekend with the No. 8 team in the country."

Florida comes into Friday's match-up fresh off its 17th consecutive Southeastern Conference Championship in 2007. The Gators will put a much younger team on the court in 2008 after the departure of three senior starters and a libero from last year's squad. The program has reloaded, however, with the top-ranked recruiting class in the country.

Historically, UAB and Florida have met three times with the Gators winning each of the three contests. Florida won the most recent match-up, 3-0, in the 2002 season.

"We're excited to be opening up with Florida," Messersmith said. "It will be good for us to test ourselves early against one of the best programs in the country. Florida is going to put a lot of young players on the floor, but I know (Florida head coach) Mary Wise will have them ready to play."

UAB then wraps up the invitational Saturday with its first ever meeting against Mid-American Conference opponent Western Michigan. The Broncos return every starter from their 2007 MAC West Division Championship team. Under fourth-year head coach Colleen Munson, Western Michigan has posted three consecutive 20-win seasons.

For UAB, Friday's season-opener marks the first of eight straight matches away from home to open the season. The Blazers are on the road the next two weekends with tournaments at Jacksonville State and Wyoming before their home opener Sept. 18 versus Memphis at Bartow Arena.