Georgia Claims Four-Set Victory Over Alabama

Friday, November 2

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

8 p.m.

University of Georgia

Alabama

Photo by: Kristin M. Bradshaw

November 02, 2018 | Volleyball

Box Score Alabama Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Georgia volleyball team earned a four-set win over the Alabama Crimson Tide Friday evening at Foster Auditorium (13-25, 25-15, 25-21, 26-24).

The win snaps a six-match losing streak by the Bulldogs (13-10, 4-8). It's the third-straight win over Alabama (18-8, 5-7). The last time Georgia beat Alabama three-straight times was 2009-10.

"I don't know if I've ever been more proud of a team with everything this team has gone through," said head coach Tom Black. "They had a ton of resolve with people switching positions with very little practice. They stepped up all over the place. I'm just incredibly proud, not just the win, but how they did it and what they've gone through to get to this point.

"I think our serving and our blocking picked up a ton. Majesti [Bass] was super-hot, even in set one, and I think the rest of the game started complementing. Our middles were really firing and put a lot of pressure on them and freed up our pins. Kianna [Young] was huge as an opposite. Meghan [Donovan] was getting people the ball. We had lots of gutsy back row play with Claire [Rothenberger] stepping in as libero and Caroline [Ostman] and Sydney [Gilliam] with their passing defense. It was great to see so many contributions to the win."

Anna Kate Karstens recorded a new career-best 13 kills while picking up a career-high eight blocks. Rachel Ritchie earned 19 kills on the evening to lead the Bulldog offense. Ritchie earned her first double-double of the season with a career-high 16 digs. Majesti Bass had nine kills to complement four blocks.

The Bulldogs put four in double-figure digs led by a career-best 17 digs by Caroline Ostman. Meghan Donovan registered her 12^thdouble-double with 14 digs and 47 assists. Libero Claire Rothenberger had 13 digs.

On the net, the Bulldogs had a season-high 14 blocks, only the fourth time this season they've registered double-digit team blocks, led by Karstens and Kianna Young (5, tied career-high).

The Crimson Tide came out early in set one, 7-1, forcing Georgia to use a timeout quickly in the opening stanza to regroup. Alabama continued to build on the early lead to as much as 12 at 19-7. Georgia's offense began to fire late in the set but the Crimson Tide early lead was too much to overcome in the opening set. Bass led the Bulldog attackers in the set with four kills while Karstens had three.

Georgia came out in the second set and opened with a 4-1 lead, highlighted by the first career ace of Rothenberger. Alabama quickly turned a five-point run to capture a 7-5 lead. Ahead by a couple, Georgia went on a six-point run to open an eight-point lead on the Crimson Tide, 20-12. Another string of four points drew set point, 24-14, then Georgia capped the set with its seventh block of the frame, 25-15.

Ritchie added six kills while Karstens had four with six block assists. After hitting .500 in the opening set, Georgia limited the Crimson Tide to a .068 hitting clip in the second. The Bulldogs' seven blocks in the second set topped match totals in 11 previous matches in 2018.

Once again, Georgia came out in set three with a quick lead. Alabama wasted no time to tie it and the teams began exchanging points in the set. Down 11-9, Georgia used a 4-0 run to take a two-point lead. The Bulldogs used a 6-1 run to eclipse the 20-point plateau and open a six-point lead. Alabama drew within three, 23-20, but Georgia was able to keep the momentum and take a 2-1 lead in the match, 25-21.

The final frame was the closest of the match as it featured 11 ties and three lead changes. All knotted up at 21, Alabama found a 23-22 before Georgia retied it. The Crimson Tide drew set point but a kill from Ritchie balanced the score at 24. A block by Karstens and Young drew match point and the match was sealed by an Alabama attack error, 26-24.

Georgia returns to action with the final road trip of the season Friday at Arkansas and Sunday at #20 Missouri.