Temple University Athletics
Temple University
5-19,1-12AAC
Memphis
12-14,5-9AAC
Owls Fall In Five Sets Again, this Time to Memphis
11.5.21 | Women's Volleyball
Bolukbasi and Grimshaw tallied double-digit kills in loss to Tigers
PHILADELPHIA – For the second consecutive match, the Temple volleyball team dropped a five-set heartbreaker (25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 20-25, 8-15), this time to the Memphis Tigers (12-14, 5-9 AAC) at home in McGonigle Hall on Friday night.
In as many matches, it was also the fifth time that graduate student Miray Bolukbasi led the Owls offensively. The Turkey native had a match-high 16 kills, 13 of which came over the final four sets in the loss. Gem Grimshaw got her first start for Temple since Oct. 15, and the senior tallied her ninth double-double of the season with a 15 kill, 12 dig-performance. Setter Patrycja Zielinska added her eighth 40-plus assist match of the season with 44.
RECAPPING THE MATCH
Set 1
- The Owls held the Tigers to a .162 hitting percentage while hitting close to .300 (.294)
- The Owls fell behind their largest deficit of three points (7-4). Still, they got themselves back into the set behind setter Patrycja Zielinska, distributing the ball to five different hitters. Each of her hitters tallied at least one kill each to tie the score at nine all.
- After the Tigers retook the advantage by the score of 15-13, Temple overcame a deficit once again, only battling their way to a 25-23 win.
- Zielinska was vital in the Owls come-from-behind win with 10 of her 44 assists on the night.
Set 2
- In set two, a reversal of misfortunes occurred as the Tigers held the Owls below a .200 hitting percentage (.194) while hitting .295 in a 25-17 set two win.
- The set featured six ties and six lead changes.
- After 9-9 tie to start the second frame, the Tigers embarked on a 16-8 rally that Temple could not answer.
- Memphis' Miaya Smith led both teams with five kills, while setter Sabrina Bianco had 12 assists.
Set 3
- The Temple offense was red hot in the third set as they hit .400 on 35 attempts and just two errors.
- Gem Grimshaw led the Owls with six kills on 12 attempts in the third set, the most attempts by any player in the period. The senior sealed the victory with two putaways in the last two points.
- Miray Bolukbasi had five of her 16 kills in the third set on nine attempts and no errors.
- There were 14 ties and six lead changes in the third stanza.
- With the scored knotted at 20-20, the Owls finished off the set, winning five of the final seven points.
Set 4
- Both teams struggled to get into a rhythm offensively in the fourth set, but UM came away with the 25-20 win.
- The Tigers held the Cherry and White to a .135 hitting percentage. However, the Marco Island, Fla. native Grimshaw was the bright spot for the Owls with four kills in the set while hitting .444 on nine attempts.
Set 5
- There were three ties in the fifth set, but MU would not relinquish the lead to Temple, winning 15-8.
- A couple of challenges went in the Owls' favor keeping the score close over the first 10 points.
- A pair of Peyton Boyd kills kept the score locked at 5-5, but that would be as close as Temple would remain. Memphis went on a 10-3 run to close out the set and win 15-8.
- The Tigers held TU to -.074 in the fifth set, forcing nine hitting errors and three to close out the set.
Temple falls to 2-4 in five-set matches this season. Overall, the Owls drop to 5-19 and 1-12 in the American.
Temple Individual Leaders
Kills: Miray Bolukbasi – 16
Assists: Patrycja Zielinska – 44
Digs: Gem Grimshaw – 14
Blocks: Peyton Boyd/Taylor Davenport/Kayla Spells – 4
Temple will be back in action on Sunday, Nov. 7, as they host the SMU Mustangs in McGonigle Hall. The match is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET and will be shown on ESPN+.
For complete coverage of Temple volleyball, follow the Owls on social media @Temple_VB (Twitter), facebook.com/TempleOwls (Facebook), @temple.vb (Instagram), or visit the official home of Temple University Athletics at owlsports.com.
