DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU volleyball team defeated Memphis 3-0 in the regular-season home finale Sunday, posting its fifth straight sweep to improve to 23-7 on the season and 16-2 in the American Athletic Conference. The Tigers fell to 14-16, 6-12 in The American.
Katie Hegarty led SMU with 14 kills and finished with nine digs.
Kristen Stehling,
Lauren Mills and
Brittany Adams each scored six kills for the Mustangs. SMU hit .264 with 40 kills, while holding Memphis to a .088 attack percentage with 32 kills.
Morgan Heise recorded nine digs in her final home match, and Mills led the team with 11 digs.
Janelle Giordano posted six blocks and four kills.
SMU ended the match with a 25-16 victory in the third set. Adams scored a kill for SMU's first point, sending
Montana Watts to the service line for SMU with the Mustangs trailing, 2-1. The freshman served five straight times as SMU scored four straight, taking a 5-2 lead. Later in the set, with SMU leading 14-13, Watts went to the service line again. This time, it was five straight SMU points, including an ace by the freshman, for an 18-13 lead. SMU gave up just three more points, as Mills ended the match with an ace right between two Tigers.
The Mustangs took a 2-0 lead against the Tigers, holding on for a 25-21 victory in the second set. With the score tied, 12-12, SMU went on a 5-1 run, taking a 17-13 lead. The run was enough of an advantage, as Mills scored a kill on SMU's second attempt at set point, giving the Mustangs a 25-21 win. Hegarty led the offense with four kills, and Mills and Adams each scored three.
SMU took control of the match early, winning the first set 25-17. Hegarty scored four of SMU's 14 kills in the set, and the defense held Memphis to a .095 attack percentage. The two teams traded points until SMU scored three straight to take a 13-10 lead. The Tigers scored three of the next four, but a 5-1 run by the Mustangs stretched the lead to five, 19-14. The momentum was enough to propel SMU to first-set win.
The Mustangs finish the regular season on the road, playing at Temple Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT, before playing at Connecticut Friday at 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT.
