Hurricanes Conclude Successful Tournament
March 26, 2012
ORLANDO, Fla. — The University of Miami women’s volleyball team continued their spring schedule this past weekend, as they took part in the Spring Fling tournament hosted by the University of Central Florida.
With each team scheduled to play their opponents two games each regardless of outcome, the Hurricanes had some impressive performances against some of the region’s top competitors. Miami finished the day 8-2 in set play, including two-set wins over Florida State and tournament hosts UCF.
“A spring tournament like this where you are able to go against four different strong opponents in one day is a great situation for our team and staff,” Head Coach Nicole Lantagne Welch said. “It gives us the opportunity to give playing time to a lot of players and see how everyone handles different situations.”
It was rising junior Taylor Hollins who keyed the Hurricanes victory over in-state rival Florida State. In the team’s two wins (25-17, 25-21), the Long Beach, Calif. native led the team with ten kills. Hollins, who recorded team-highs in kills in three of the Hurricanes’ four match-ups, is already displaying her potential as a key force for Miami in the upcoming season.
“Overall, Taylor had a great day for us,” Lantagne Welch said of her rising star. “We are asking her to do much more and she is rising to that challenge.”
The Hurricanes split with Florida (25-16, 25-27) and Georgia Southern, before taking their final two sets of the day against UCF. Alexis Mourning, another player on the rise in Coral Gables, led the way with six kills and 2.5 blocks.
“Alexis really provided a huge spark in our last match, and showed us all what kind of impact she can have when she really gets after it,” Lantagne Welch said.
For the coaching staff, Saturday’s tournament provided the opportunity to focus on what needs to be improved going forward in the spring. For a team coming off another postseason run into the NCAA Tournament, tournaments like UCF’s Spring Fling are key.
“We have now learned more about the work that is needed for the remainder of the spring to continue to improve to the level we are aspiring to,” Lantagne Welch said. “I really like the way we finished the day and turned it back around in our play.”
