TULSA, Okla. (SMU)- The SMU volleyball team picked up a 3-0 (25-23, 25-13, 25-18) sweep of Tulsa in the first of two matches this weekend on Friday night in the Reynolds Center.
SMU (13-6; 7-1 American Athletic Conference) picked up its eighth sweep of the season and fifth consecutive road victory. The Mustangs outhit the Golden Hurricane .342-.194. Two different Mustangs tallied 15 plus kills, while two notched 10 plus digs.
Reigning AAC Offensive Player of the Week
Jamison Wheeler led the way for the Mustangs, turning in her fourth double-double of the season with 16 kills and 12 digs.
Natalie Perdue finished with 15 kills on .351 hitting, while adding six digs. Last week's AAC Defensive Player of the Week
Sina Uluave led the Mustang defense with 17 digs, while dishing out five assists.
Celia Cullen passed out 36 assists and added six digs.
Emma Clothier tallied eight kills on .471 hitting and added three digs and two service aces.
Alex Glover recorded six kills on eight swings, while adding a team-high four blocks.
Naya Shime tallied seven digs, three kills and as many blocks and
Brooke Frazier added six digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set One:
Starting the match for SMU were
Jamison Wheeler, Natalie Perdue, Emma Clothier, Alex Glover, Naya Shime, Celia Cullen, and Sina Uluave. Back-to-back kills from Perdue and a pair of errors from Tulsa propelled SMU to a 4-0 run to begin the match. Leading 8-5, SMU took four out of the following five points after two straight kills from Wheeler and one from Glover and Shime. Tulsa countered with six unanswered to bring the set within one and force an SMU timeout. The Mustangs took the first two points out of the break to force a Golden Hurricane timeout, leading 20-17. A kill from Clothier and an assisted block from Glover/Shime extended the Mustangs' lead to 23-19. Three straight points from the Golden Hurricane brought them within a point again, but Perdue's fifth kill of the match clinched a 25-23 first set victory.
Set Two:
Kills from Clothier and Perdue saw the Mustangs strike first in the second frame on the way to an early 6-2 advantage. Three unanswered put SMU up 9-3 and forced a Tulsa timeout. The Mustangs started to pull away after another Wheeler kill and a Golden Hurricane error after the pause. A pair of kills from Perdue and one from Clothier gave SMU a 17-8 lead. Back-to-back kills from Wheeler extended the SMU lead to 11. A service ace from Wheeler and two Tulsa errors sealed a dominating 25-13 victory.
Set Three:
SMU erased an early deficit with a 6-0 run after three kills from Wheeler, two from Glover along with an ace from Clothier. Three straight kills from Wheeler, Perdue, and Glover gave SMU a 12-8 lead. Kills from Wheeler and Perdue extended the Mustang lead to six. Wheeler's 15
th kill of the match followed by one from Cullen put SMU up 19-12. SMU used the separation and Perdue's 15
th kill sealed a 25-18 victory.
SMU LEADERS:
SMU Kills Leader:
Jamison Wheeler (16)
SMU Assist Leader:
Celia Cullen (36)
SMU Digs Leader:
Sina Uluave (17)
SMU Blocks Leader:
Alex Glover (4)
SMU Ace Leader:
Emma Clothier (2)
TEAM RECORDS SERIES NOTES:
- With the win, SMU improved to 13-6 on the season, and 7-1 in conference.
- Friday was the 53rd meeting between SMU and Tulsa. SMU leads the all-time series 34-19.
TEAM NOTES:
- SMU won its fifth consecutive conference road match.
- SMU is 10-0 when leading in kills.
- SMU is 8-1 when leading in blocks.
- SMU is 8-1 when leading in digs.
- SMU is 13-1 when recording a higher attacking percentage than its opponents.
- SMU is 11-2 when leading in service aces.
- SMU held Tulsa to a .194 hitting percentage. SMU held an opponent under .200 hitting for the sixth time this season and fourth time in conference play.
- SMU recorded its second highest attacking percentage of the season (.342)
.396 vs. Memphis (9/20/23)
.342 at Tulsa (10/13/23)
.327 vs. LSU (9/17/23)
INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
Jamison Wheeler turned in her fourth double-double of the season with 16 kills and 12 digs. Wheeler led the Mustangs in kills for the eighth time this season and third straight match. The junior outside hitter tallied double-digit kills for the 12
th and digs for the seventh time this season.
Natalie Perdue turned in 15 kills on .351 hitting. Perdue turned in double-digit kills for the 11
th time this season and added six digs.
Sina Uluave led the Mustangs in digs (17) for the 10
th consecutive match and finished with double-digits for the 15
th time this season. Uluave passed out five assists.
Celia Cullen dished out a 36 assists and added six digs. Cullen has led the Mustangs in assists in all 19 matches.
UP NEXT:
SMU is back in action against Tulsa Saturday at 3 p.m.
