Bulldogs End Series at No. 25 Missouri with 3-0 Loss

Saturday, February 20

Columbia, Mo.

8:00 p.m.

University of Georgia

4-10

Missouri

10-4

Georgia

Mizzou

Photo by: Anthony Walsh

Bulldogs End Series at No. 25 Missouri with 3-0 Loss

February 20, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The final match of the series between Georgia and No. 25 Missouri went to the Tigers in three sets Saturday at Hearnes Center (20-25, 21-25, 21-25).

Senior Rachel Ritchie matched her kill count from Friday evening and then one, recording 11 to lead the Bulldogs' offense. Sophomore Kacie Evans picked up 10 kills with seven digs and a pair of blocks Saturday. Junior Sage Naves added nine kills of her own with a team-best three blocks. The offense hit .264 as a team which was the best this spring season and the second-best of the 2020-21 campaign.

Junior libero Claire Rothenberger notched nine digs, matching her tally from Friday. Junior setter Dalaney Hans fell one dig short of tying a career best with eight in the contest. Senior setter Brynn Chandler picked up three of Georgia's five total aces.

Like Friday's match, service errors plagued the Bulldogs (4-10) in the match with 14 miscues from behind the service line.

Down 8-4 in the opening set, a 5-1 Georgia run tied the set at 9-9. Knotted again at 13, Missouri (10-4) rattled off four-straight, prompting a Georgia timeout, 17-13. The run was enough to separate the Tigers from the Bulldogs in the opening set. A stretch of two kills and a block from Naves helped cut into the lead late, 22-19, but Missouri was able to hold on to take the set 25-20. Evans and Ritchie each tallied five kills in the first set.

A string of four-straight points in the middle of the second set opened a significant lead for the Tigers at 19-12. Down 21-14, Georgia used a 5-1 run to narrow the deficit to three, capped by Chandler's second service ace of the set. Georgia cut it to two late at 23-21 but a late call on a net violation gave Missouri set point and the Tigers wrapped the set at 25-21 to take the two sets to none lead.

Service aces from Naves and Chandler aided the Bulldogs to take a 4-1 lead in the third stanza. Missouri immediately responded to tie it at 5-5. A 5-1 run shortly thereafter put the Tigers in front 10-7. While Georgia was able to keep it close, Missouri was able to keep the Bulldogs from going on too long of runs and rolled to a 25-21 set three win to secure the sweep.

The Bulldogs will have two weeks away from competition before hosting Texas A&M March 12 and 13 at Stegeman Coliseum.