Bulldogs Fall to Aggies in Five-Set Affair

Sunday, September 23

College Station, Texas

3 p.m.

University of Georgia

10-3, 1-1SEC

Texas A&M

9-5, 2-0SEC

Georgia

Texas A&M

September 23, 2018 | Volleyball

Box Score Texas A&M Box Score

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – After falling behind 2-0 in Sunday's match at Reed Arena, Georgia volleyball (10-3, 1-1) battled to force a fifth set with Texas A&M (9-5, 2-0). The Aggies held off the advancing Bulldogs to win the five-set match.

"Our offense really picked up after the second set," said head coach Tom Black. "We're learning a lot. We'll keep working on being good for longer stretches down the road."

T'ara Ceasar paced the offense with 16 kills while Rachel Ritchie had 14. Majesti Bass finished with nine on the afternoon.

Defensively, four Bulldogs had double-digit dig performances. Kendall Glover tied a career-high 26 digs followed by 15 from Meghan Donovan (44 assists, sixth double-double), and 11 from Sydney Gilliam. Ceasar's 13 digs wrapped up her fourth double-double on the season.

At the service line, Donovan tied a career-best four aces. Georgia had eight in the match. On the net, Georgia set a season-high 10.5 blocks, led by six from Bass and four from Donovan.

The Aggies opened the set 4-1 to establish an early lead on the Bulldogs, one they never relinquished. Georgia pulled within one with a kill from Ceasar and two Aggie errors, 10-9, then again when Ceasar recorded three-straight kills, 13-12. Towards the end of the set, Donovan had back-to-back service aces to cut the lead to 23-20 but Texas A&M won the next two points to wrap up the frame, 25-20. Ceasar led the offense with six kills in the opening frame while Hernandez picked up four.

Both teams battled hard in a second set that featured 10 ties and five lead changes. Tied at 13, the Aggies used a 5-1 run to open a lead of four. Georgia responded with a 6-1 run of its own to take a 20-19 lead. Texas A&M wrapped up the set winning six of the last seven points to swipe the set away, 25-21.

Georgia used a four-point run to build a lead early in the third set at 8-4. A 7-1 run opened a 16-8 lead, one the Bulldogs continued to lengthen up to 19-11. The Aggies responded with eight-straight points to erase the lead the tie it up at 19 all. Tied at 21, Georgia won the final four points to hold off the Aggies and stay alive in the match.

The Bulldogs opened the fourth set with an 8-1 lead. The Aggies pulled within one at 10-9, but Georgia was able to hold off the Aggie attack. The Bulldogs were able to keep a lead, but Texas A&M tied it up at 19, forcing Georgia to use its final timeout. Georgia prevailed despite Texas A&M on its heels in the set, 25-23, forcing a fifth and final set.

After only one kill in the first two sets, Ritchie recorded five in the third, then seven in the fourth, to lead the offense in the middle sets.

Texas A&M jumped out to a 5-1 lead on Georgia and never looked back as the Aggies wrapped up the match with a 15-9 win in the final set.

The Bulldogs continue their SEC road stretch with a matchup at Ole Miss on Friday at 7 p.m., ET. The match will air live on the SEC Network.