BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic Owls (16-11, 8-6 AAC) earned their first series sweep of the season, picking up a four-set win over the Memphis Tigers (8-19, 4-11 AAC) on Saturday at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC 3 – MEMPHIS 1
Arianna Beckham and Madison Dyer led the Owls in Saturday’s win over the Tigers. Beckham tied for a match-high 14 kills, while also picking up her fifth double-double of the season with 15 digs. She also added three blocks and a service ace. Dyer recorded a team second-best 10 kills, hitting .381, while also adding a team-leading five blocks. Isabelle Northam led the Owls back line with a team-high 24 digs, while Victoria Hensley dished out a match-leading 41 assists in the win.
The Tigers opened the match on a 10-5 run, but it was short-lived as the Owls answered back with five unanswered to quickly bring things even after two Tiger errors, a Dyer kill, and back-to-back service aces from Raine Lynch. The Owls held a 12-11 advantage before a 5-0 Tiger run put Memphis back in front 16-12. The Owls scored four unanswered to even the match at 16 that sparked an 11-3 FAU run to put the Owls just two away from capturing the first, 23-19. Memphis scored three in a row to cut the Owls’ lead to just one, 23-22, however kills from Kaila Ru and Valeria Rosado closed out the set to give the Owls the 1-0 lead, 25-22.
Memphis led 3-2 to open the second, however, the Owls locked in to score six unanswered to take the lead, 8-3, following a kill from Beckham. The Tigers battled back to come back within one of the Owls’ lead, 13-12. Florida Atlantic kicked the lead back out to 19-12 following a 6-0 run. The Owls rode their advantage through the end of the set as they eventually closed out the 25-19 second to take the two-set advantage entering the third.
After battling through a 10-10 stalemate to open the third, the Owls produced a 6-0 run to take a 16-10 lead halfway through the third. The Owls continued to hold the advantage through a 23-20 lead, but the Tigers locked in at the end of the set as they scored five unanswered to win 25-23 in the third and force a fourth.
The Owls came out ready to play in the fourth, opening the frame on an 8-3 run. Memphis outscored Florida Atlantic 11-8 to cut the Owls’ lead down to two at 14-16, however, a 5-1 run pushed the Owls’ lead back out to six, 21-15. Back-to-back Beckham kills eventually brought the Owls to match-point at 24-18. The Tigers produced a 3-0 run to get back within three, 24-21. Dyer closed out the match with her 10th kill of the day to close out the 25-21 fourth and secure the Owls’ 3-1 win.
UP NEXT
Florida Atlantic will head back out on the road next weekend as they head to Charlotte, N.C. for a series against the Charlotte 49ers on Friday, Nov. 10 and Sunday, Nov. 12.
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