TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (September 18, 2024) – The University of North Alabama volleyball team won their fourth match of the season in monumental fashion Wednesday night, defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in a 3-0 sweep in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The Lions made program history from Foster Auditorium, playing Alabama for the first time since 1978 and beating Alabama for the first time since 1975. Additionally, third year head coach Tristan Johnson becomes the first UNA volleyball coach to defeat Alabama since UNA Athletic Hall of Famer Don McBrayer. Johnson is a graduate of Alabama and was an assistant coach for the Tide for two seasons.
Tonight also marks the first volleyball win for UNA over an SEC opponent since defeating Mississippi State 3-1 in 1986.
UNA used consistent offense to pace the attack with 41 kills on a .257 hitting percentage, while the defense stood strong with both the advantage in blocks and kills.
The Lions improve to 4-7 on the season, while the Crimson Tide suffered only their second loss of the season to move to 8-2. This also ended a four-match home winning streak for Alabama that dates back to last season.
North Alabama took an early advantage to begin the opening set, as the Lions jumped to a 10-5 lead. The Lions maintained their lead throughout the frame, using 14 kills on a .270 hitting percentage to lead the way to a 25-20 first-set win.
North Alabama also took advantage of Alabama mistakes, as the Crimson Tide finished the set with seven attack errors and four service errors. Senior Brenna Tietz proved lethal on the attack with five first-set kills on .667 hitting percentage.
The Lions and Crimson Tide had a more competitive second set, with the set having 10 tied scores and seven lead changes. Neither team could muster a lead larger than three points, but UNA used a key 6-1 run late in the set to turn a 17-14 deficit to a 20-18 lead. Alabama regained the lead with a responding 6-2 run to take a 24-22 lead, but a 5-1 late run sparked by seven second-set kills from Ricketts gave the Lions the thrilling 27-25 set win heading to the third frame.
Alabama came out firing in the third set with the Crimson Tide opening with a 6-1 lead. Alabama held a 14-6 advantage midway through the third when the Lions exploded for 11-straight points to take the 17-14 lead. UNA freshman Reese Ricketts and Tietz led the comeback for the Lions with four and two respective kills, along with timely attack errors from the Crimson Tide.
North Alabama held the slight lead as the set ended, and despite an Alabama rally, the Lions earned a 3-0 victory over the Crimson Tide to complete the historic night in Tuscaloosa.
UNA out-hit the Crimson Tide on the attack, finishing with a .257 team hitting percentage to Alabama’s .133. The difference in the match came on the defensive side as UNA shined with 51 digs and six blocks.
Ricketts secured her fifth double-double of the season with 15-kill, 17-dig performance to lead the team in both categories. Tietz registered her sixth double-digit kill outing with 11 kills, and graduate hitter Jasmine Brooks, a former SEC standout at Tennessee, added an additional nine kills on the night.
Senior setter Elif Ozsoy finished with 33 assists, which marks her highest of the season in a three-set match. Sophomore Nicole Sargent added a team-high four blocks to her season tally, and sophomore Olivia Fenoff continued her excellence from serve with two service aces.
The Lions have a short turnaround, returning to the court on Friday, Sept. 20 against Central Arkansas at 6 p.m. UNA will play the Sugar Bears to open the two-day Central Arkansas Invitational in Conway, Ark.
