Georgia Defeats Aggies in Five-Set Thriller

Saturday, March 13

Athens, Ga.

7:00 p.m.

University of Georgia

5-11,5-11SEC

Texas A&M

9-5,9-5SEC

Texas A&M

Georgia

Photo by: Tony Walsh

March 13, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Georgia volleyball team defeated Texas A&M in five sets Saturday at Stegeman Coliseum (22-25, 25-20, 24-26, 25-22, 15-8).

The win snaps an eight-match losing skid for Georgia and the first win of the spring season. It's also the first win over Texas A&M since 1994 and the first since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012.

Junior Mallory Hernandez tied a career-best 19 kills in the match while sophomore Kacie Evans topped the 20-kill mark for the first time this season. Defensively, Evans earned her fourth double-double of the season with 13 digs while Hernandez recorded five blocks. Sophomore Amber Stivrins contributed 16 kills of her own Saturday.

Junior setter Dalaney Hans dished out a career-best 34 assists and picked up her second double-double of the weekend with 10 digs. Senior setter Brynn Chandler also picked up a double-double with 20 assists and 11 digs.

Junior libero Claire Rothenberger led the defense with 16 digs. Georgia out blocked the Aggies 17-13, a season-high for Georgia. Senior Kaylah House registered a career-best seven blocks while fellow senior Kianna Young recorded the same, a season best.

An early 4-0 run for Texas A&M gave the Aggies the quick advantage in the opening set. Georgia was able to cut it to 11-9, but the Aggies were able to keep the Bulldogs at arm's length. With Georgia down 21-17, a kill from Evans gave Georgia the serve and the Bulldogs capitalized on a trio of Aggie miscues to tie the set at 21 and force a Texas A&M timeout. The Aggies fended off the late Georgia push to hold on and win the set 25-22. Hernandez tallied six kills in the opening set.

The second set was close as both teams exchanged points early in the frame. Tied at 12, Georgia won three of the next four rallies to lead going into the second set media timeout, 15-13. Back-to-back Bulldog blocks and an ace from Rothenberger lengthened Georgia's lead to 19-14 and forced an Aggie timeout. The Bulldogs cruised to the set two victory as Hernandez recorded kills 10 and 11 to draw set point and win the set for Georgia, 25-20.

Georgia jumped out to a quick and early lead in set three, 8-2, including a pair of service aces and blocks to start the frame. Georgia kept the foot on the gas and led 15-11 at the media break. As the teams approached the stretch, the Aggies went on an 8-2 run to tie the set at 21 and force a second timeout from the Bulldogs' bench. Georgia drew set point with an Evans kill but the Aggies rallied to win the next three to swipe the set away from the Bulldogs, 26-24. Evans totaled eight kills in the third set.

Down 11-8 in set four, the Bulldogs rode a 6-0 run to take a 14-11 lead in the set. While Texas A&M remained close, Georgia never relinquished the lead in the fourth set, winning the frame 25-22 and forcing a fifth and final set at Stegeman.

It was all Georgia in the decisive fifth set. Ahead 7-5, the Bulldogs rattled off five-straight points to firm up their lead, 12-5. Georgia didn't let up and rolled to a 15-8 set five win.

Georgia travels to LSU next weekend for two matches with the Tigers Friday and Saturday. Both matches will begin at 8 p.m., ET.

Head coach Tom Black
On the improvements made from Friday to Saturday's match…
"Everything we did well last night we did well for longer tonight. Determination from girls and assistant coaches after rallying past the obstacles during the game. It's not a small thing when you've lost seven matches in a row and you're in a fifth set and every point kind of feels like life or death. Our team showed really good resolve, really good fight, and I am really proud of them on a lot of levels"

On looking ahead to LSU…
"This team is capable of playing really good volleyball and we showed that in the fall. There's been ups and downs, but now we need to grow from that and show how good we can be so that's the opportunity ahead of us."

Sophomore Amber Stivrins
On snapping an eight-match losing streak…
"I think we really changed the mentality tonight and this is like proving here on out that we can do it, we trust out training and trust our teammates."