MEMPHIS, Tenn. ? The Hatters dropped their final match at the Tiger Invitational on Saturday to UAB, 3-0 (30-19, 30-21, 30-13).
The Hatters were over-matched offensively as the Blazers notched a .277 hitting percentage.
Stetson (5-8) was tied at 13-13 mid-way through game one, but UAB (8-5) reeled off a 17-6 run to take the game. The most damage was done with a 6-0 run that featured two kills from Angie Ping. Ping recorded 14 kills in the match.
In the second game, UAB stretched out to a 12-5 lead and road a .340 attack percentage with 22 kills to the win. Gina Iacona did her best to keep Stetson afloat with five kills in game two, but the Blazers' tandem of Ping and Ivana Bozic gave the Hatters fits. Ping picked up eight kills in game two while Bozic added six of her own.
As they have all weekend, the Hatters battled, but the Conference USA members proved to be too much taking the final game easily. A 7-0 run gave UAB a 25-10 it would not relinquish.
The Hatters once again received solid play from its seniors as Iacona (seven kills), Beth Slabaugh (six kills), Rachel Miller (12 digs) and Karla Readshaw (20 assists) led the way. Junior libero Melanie Boyer pitched in with a team-high 16 digs.
Bozic garnered a double-double for the Blazers with match-highs in kills (16) and digs (23) while Lilly Domingos dished out 41 assists.
Stetson will open conference action next weekend with a pair of matches against A-Sun foes at the Edmunds Center. Stetson will begin the weekend with a tilt against Campbell on Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. and take on Gardner-Webb the following day at 2 p.m.
