HUNTSVILLE, Ala.  – Behind a career-best 23 kills by junior Ana Gabriela Pedrosa in the nightcap against Christian Brothers University, the University of West Alabama volleyball team earned a hard fought split at the University of Alabama in Huntsville Invitational on Friday.  UWA dropped a 3-1 decision to the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras in the afternoon and closed out the day with a 3-1 victory over CBU.

Pedrosa, from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, finished the day with back-to-back double digit kill marks after recording ten in the match against UPRRP.  With her 23 kills against CBU, she has now posted double figures in kills in all seven of UWA’s matches this season.  Pedrosa finished with a double-double with her 11 digs in the contest.  Senior Allison Nail registered 14 kills in the affair followed by Jessica Crook’s ten kills.  Senior Jacquie Swan led all Tigers with 13 digs.

The Tigers (4-3) were extended in the first set 26-24 and took control of the match with a 25-15 second set win.  CBU (1-5) responded with a 25-12 win in the third before UWA closed out a tightly contested fourth set, 27-25.

Against UPRRP (2-4), the Tigers got off to a good start claiming the first set 25-20.  In a nip and tuck opener, UWA took control of the set after a 12-12 tie and never surrendered the lead in the opener. UPRRP turned the momentum with a 25-20 win in the second set and a 25-14 win in the third set.  UWA came up short in its bid to force a fifth and deciding set, falling 25-23 in the fourth.  The Red and White were led by Nail’s 13 kills and was one of a trio of Tigers to card eight digs in the affair.  Junior Jessica Crook added nine kills in the setback.  Freshman setter Alexis McHale was credited with 39 assists.

UPRRP’s Jean Marie Rivera turned in a match-high 20 kills.  Valeria Rose recorded 18 in the win.

UWA will square off with Francis Marion at 9 a.m. on Saturday and close out the weekend with a 1 p.m. tilt with Harding.

Live stats from UAH’s Spragins Hall will be available http://www.uahchargers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=641&Itemid=163