Bulldogs Drop Four-Set Decision at No. 10 Tennessee

Friday, November 10

Knoxville, Tenn.

6:30 p.m.

University of Georgia

15-10,6-7SEC

Tennessee

20-3,11-2SEC

Georgia

Tennessee

Bulldogs Drop Four-Set Decision at No. 10 Tennessee

November 10, 2023 | Volleyball

Box Score

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Georgia volleyball team fell in four sets Friday evening to tenth-ranked Tennessee at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center (25-22, 13-25, 23-25, 19-25).

Georgia is now 15-10 on the season and 6-7 in SEC play.

Sophie Fischer paced the Bulldogs' offense with 19 kills, hitting .333. She put up a career-best six digs in the match with a block.

Kacie Evans laid down 11 kills followed by season-high nine from Krista Blakely.

Defensively, Bailey Cox put up 15 digs to lead the team. Clara Brower recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 10 digs to complement her 39 assists. At the net, Ceci Gooch led the Dogs with four blocks.

Down 7-4 in the first, Georgia went on an 8-1 run to go ahead 12-8 and force a Lady Vol timeout early. The Dogs continued to fire the offense at a high clip, leading by as much as six, 19-13. After a Lady Vol break, Tennessee (20-3, 11-2) began to slow the Georgia attack, closing the lead to three, 23-20. Georgia held on to win the opening set 25-22. Fischer put up eight kills in the set as Georgia hit .452 as a team to begin the match.

With Georgia ahead 5-3, Tennessee rattled off four-straight points to go ahead 7-5 and prompt an early Bulldog break in the second set. Tennessee lengthened the run to seven to widen the lead to 10-5. The Lady Vols didn't let up, rolling to a 25-13 set two win, evening the match at a set apiece.

The Dogs used a 4-1 run to go ahead 5-4 in the third, but Tennessee responded with a 4-1 run of its own to retake the lead 8-6. Down five, Georgia won five of seven points after a timeout to cut the Lady Vol lead to 21-19. The Bulldogs stayed hot on the Lady Vols' heels, using back-to-back Evans/Gooch blocks to tie the set at 23-all. Tennessee held on to win the set, halting Georgia's comeback, 25-23.

The fourth set was neck-and-neck to start until a 3-0 Lady Vol run put Tennessee in front 11-9, prompting a quick Georgia timeout. A 4-0 Bulldog run flipped the script and put Georgia ahead 15-14, capped by back-to-back Blakely kills. Tennessee responded with three-straight points to go back in front 17-15. The Dawgs would get withing two, 21-19, but Tennessee used four straight to win the set 25-19 and the match.

The Bulldogs travel to Lexington, Kentucky for a Sunday matchup against No. 13 Kentucky. The Bulldogs and Wildcats begin at 1 p.m., ET, live on SEC Network.