Bulldogs Down Ospreys, Fall to Horned Frogs Friday

Friday, September 1

Conway, S.C.

10 a.m.

University of Georgia

3-1,0-0SEC

North Florida

1-3,0-0ASUN

North Florida

Georgia

September 01, 2023 | Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CONWAY, S.C. – The University of Georgia volleyball team split a pair of matches Friday at the Coastal Carolina Tournament, sweeping North Florida (25-22, 25-19, 26-24) in the morning tilt and falling in straight sets to TCU (19-25, 24-26, 22-25) in the nightcap.

Georgia is now 3-2 on the season.

Georgia 3, North Florida 0
Sophie Fischer tipped the double-digit kill mark for the third time in 2023, tallying 15 in the match while hitting .500. In her first match back from illness, Kacie Evans put up 14 kills with eight digs.

Setter Clara Brower recorded Georgia's first double-double of the season, handing out 31 assists with a team-best 10 digs.

Georgia used an 8-1 run to open an early 10-3 lead on the Ospreys (1-3) in the opener. UNF responded with four-straight to cut the lead to 10-7 for Georgia. The Dogs kept the Ospreys at arm's length, reaching the 20-point mark first. With Georgia inching closer to set point, 23-18, UNF strung together three points to slice the lead to two and force a UGA timeout. Evans provided back-to-back kills to put a bow on the first, 25-22. Evans and Fischer each put up four kills in the first.

Down one early in the second, Georgia won nine of the next 11 rallies to take a 12-6 lead on North Florida. The Bulldogs worked to open a nine-point lead at 19-10, its largest of the match. Georgia reached the 20-point mark the UNF responded with five-straight points to narrow the deficit in the set, 20-16. Georgia fended off the advancing Ospreys and held on to take the second set 25-19 and the 2-0 lead in the match.

Early service aces from Fischer and Brower along with back-to-back solo blocks from Fournier and Haugen made it an 8-4 Bulldog lead in the third. The Ospreys cut the lead to 14-12 then three-straight from the Dogs widened the lead back to five, 17-12, prompting a UNF timeout. Georgia won four of the next five points to widen the lead to 21-13. UNF responded with a 5-0 run of its own to cut the lead back down to three, 21-18, and force a Georgia break. With Georgia holding set point, 24-19, UNF rattled off five-straight to keep the match alive, tying it at 24-all. The Dogs held on to win the set 26-24 and secure the sweep.

TCU 3, Georgia 0
Fischer led the Bulldogs' attack with 11 kills in the match followed by eight from Evans. Fischer laid down three aces while Evans recorded two against the Horned Frogs (1-3).

Evans led the way defensively with a season-high 13 digs while libero Mallory Downing put up 10 Friday evening. As a team, Georgia had 44 digs, a season high.

The Bulldogs had to play catchup in the first, closing the TCU lead to one on a block from Fischer and Estelle Haugen, 9-8. TCU battled back to reopen a 14-9 lead. A 5-1 run widened TCU's lead to 20-13. Georgia fought its way back to within four, 21-17, then TCU called a timeout. After the break, the Horned Frogs held off the Dogs en route to a 25-19 set one win. Tori Harper led all attackers for the Bulldogs with three kills in the set.

TCU strung together four points to take an early 7-4 lead before Georgia battled back to knot it at 7-all. The Horned Frogs worked to reopen a three-point lead going into the media timeout, 15-12. TCU committed five errors shortly after the media break allowing UGA to find an 18-17 lead. The Frogs regrouped after a timeout to go back in front 20-18, prompting a Georgia break. Georgia battled to tie it at 22 then again at 24. TCU held on to take the set 26-24 and the 2-0 lead in the match.

A 5-0 run in the third put Georgia in front 8-6, capped by two aces and a kill from Fischer. Down one, kills from Evans and Haugen with an Evans ace put Georgia in front 15-13 going into the media timeout. A 5-0 TCU run put the Horned Frogs back in front 20-17. Georgia tied it at 20 then again at 22, but TCU held on to take the next three points, securing the 25-22 win and the match in three sets.

Georgia concludes play in Conway Saturday taking on the host Chanticleers. First serve against Coastal Carolina is set for 3 p.m. streaming live on ESPN+.