Volleyball sweeps Memphis for two-match AAC lead

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From SMUMustangs.com:

Mustangs Sweep Memphis For Two-Match Conference Lead At Midpoint
SMU is 9-1 in The American with 10 matches left in regular season

Oct. 25, 2015

DALLAS (SMU) – Wearing special pink jerseys in an effort to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research, the SMU volleyball team (19-3, 9-1 American Athletic Conference) defeated Memphis (14-9, 5-5 The American) 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-18) Sunday afternoon in Moody Coliseum to claim a two-match conference lead at the halfway point with 10 matches left.

The Mustangs completed the sweep, their ninth of the season and fifth in the last seven matches, with a 25-18 victory in the third set. The Tigers led for the first time in the match, taking a 9-5 lead to start the third set. With the deficit still four, 12-8, the Mustangs started their comeback, going on a 10-1 run to take an 18-13 lead. SMU kept the Tigers from getting within four points the rest of the way for the three-set win.

Lauren Mills recorded a career-high 15 digs, and Morgan Heise finished with a match-high 17 for the Mustangs. Abbey Bybel and Janelle Giordano led SMU with nine kills apiece, and Kristen Stehling and Cailin Bula each added eight. Avery Acker posted 34 assists and nine digs. SMU hit .324 with 46 kills, while holding Memphis to 31 kills and a .083 attack percentage.

The Mustangs cruised to a 25-14 victory in the first set against the Tigers, hitting .394 with 13 kills. Heise had six digs as the SMU defense held Memphis to a .100 attack percentage with nine errors. SMU took a 9-3 lead to start the set, scoring four of the first five points, including two on kills by Lauren Mills. The Tigers were never within five points again. Giordano led the offense for SMU scoring four kills in the opening set.

SMU took a 2-0 lead in match with a second straight 25-14 victory, scoring 19 kills, while allowing just seven to the Tigers. Memphis kept the score close early in the set, trailing by just two, 11-9. SMU scored the next five points, taking a 16-9 lead, as part of a 14-5 run to close out the set. Mills had eight digs for SMU, and Heise added another six, as the SMU defense held Memphis to a .114 attack percentage. Bybel scored five kills to lead the SMU offense.

The Mustangs play at Tulsa Wednesday at 6 p.m., starting a stretch of four straight road matches.