Oct. 13, 2001

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Florida Atlantic University used a powerful middle attack to win an exciting five-game Atlantic Sun Conference match over Samford Saturday afternoon at Seibert Hall 30-24, 26-30, 30-24, 25-30, 15-9.

After winning game four, Samford made three straight hitting errors to begin the fifth game and give FAU a 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs clawed back to 9-7 but FAU ended the match with a 6-2 run. Gracie Heim led all hitters with 23 kills from the middle. FAU's other middle hitter Jessica Kahn had 14 kills for the Owls.

Samford (7-11, 3-3 A-Sun) was led by its outside attack. Whitney Miller recorded 18 kills and 12 digs for her eighth double-double of the year. Abby Miner had 16 kills and Shellie Ouldhouse recorded her third double-double with 14 kills and 13 digs.

Florida Atlantic (8-9, 5-0 A-Sun) won its fourth-straight match by out-hitting the Bulldogs .181-.141. FAU had 10 more kills than the Bulldogs and three more service aces than Samford.

The Bulldogs overcame a 13-3 deficit in game two to tie the match at a game a piece. Miller recorded five kills late in game two to aid the comeback. Andrea Shanks saw her first action of the season for the Bulldogs and had a pair of kills in the game.

FAU took game three and the Bulldogs won game four to force the deciding game. It was the Owls side out game from their middles that kept the Bulldogs from mounting a comeback in game five. Samford out dug FAU 73-70 and out-blocked the Owls 13-8 but a negative hitting percentage in game five cost the Bulldogs the match.

Samford will go on the road on Tuesday to face Memphis in a non-conference match before returning to Birmingham next weekend for a pair of conference matches against Mercer and Belmont.