Georgia Drops Four-Set Match to San Diego, 3-1

Saturday, September 16

Atlanta, Ga.

6 p.m.

University of Georgia

8-3,0-0SEC

San Diego

4-5,0-0WCC

San Diego

Georgia

September 16, 2023 | Volleyball

Box Score

ATLANTA – The University of Georgia volleyball team fell to San Diego in four sets at O'Keefe Gymnasium Saturday evening, 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 29-31, 22-25).

Georgia will take an 8-3 record into Sunday's non-conference finale against Howard. The loss snaps Georgia's five-match win streak.

Once again, Sophie Fischer paced the offense putting up 16 kills. Kacie Evans tallied 13 in the match with 17 digs, a new season high. Evans led the Dogs with three aces. As a team, Georgia had seven against San Diego (4-5).

Clara Brower earned her second-straight double-double and fourth of the season, registering 39 assists with a career-best 17 digs to match Evans for the team lead.

Bailey Cox was the third Bulldog to top double-digit digs with 11 in the game.

Prior to the match, the University of Georgia Athletic Association announced Georgia volleyball will return to Stegeman Coliseum in October. Updates are currently being made to technical and electronic aspects that affect the match day experience and ensure UGAAA is in compliance with all NCAA and SEC requirements. As soon as those updates are completed, UGAAA will host all remaining volleyball matches in Stegeman Coliseum.

The match started off toe-to-toe. Tied at six, San Diego strung together three points to go up 9-6. Georgia cut it to 9-8, but USD battled back to go back up three and prompt Georgia's first timeout, 12-9. The Toreros built the lead to 17-12, exhausting both UGA timeouts. After the break, Georgia won five of the next seven points to slice the lead to 19-17, forcing a San Diego timeout. After the timeout, a 5-1 run propelled the Dogs out in front, capped by a Cox ace, 22-20. USD stormed back with three straight to retake the lead, 23-22, but Georgia regrouped to win the next three and complete the first set comeback, 25-23, finishing the set on an Evans ace. Fischer and Evans each put up four kills to begin the match.

San Diego came out strong in the second set, going up 8-3 and forcing a quick Georgia timeout. The Toreros kept a lead of six until Georgia rallied to cut the lead to three, 16-13. Down six, Georgia won three of the next four points to force the first USD timeout of the set, 22-18. Georgia kept the pressure on after the break, prompting the Toreros' second timeout, 22-20. San Diego held on to win the set 25-21 and even the match.

Erica Staunton checked into the third set for the Dogs in the third and kicked off a 3-0 run to go up 5-3. San Diego tied the set at 8-all, but Georgia responded with a 5-0 run including back-to-back blocks to go back in front 13-8 and force a Torero timeout. Georgia lengthened the run to 7-1 after the break to widen the lead to 16-9. San Diego worked to slice the lead back to three and Georgia called timeout, 18-15. San Diego kept battling to take a 23-22 lead. With USD holding set point, Evans tied it and an all-out battle ensued. San Diego drew set point at 25, 26, and 27. A Fischer kill and ace gave UGA set point, 28-27, and an Estelle Haugen kill drew it again, 29-28. San Diego finished the set with three-straight points to steal the frame, 31-29, and go up 2-1 in the match.

With Georgia ahead by one, 5-4, San Diego rolled off a 4-0 run to go up 8-5 and prompt a UGA timeout in the fourth. The Dogs tied it at 10, but four-straight points from USD gave the Toreros the advantage, 14-10 and exhaust Georgia's final timeout of the set. Georgia would cut the USD lead to two numerous times but couldn't overcome the Toreros in the end, falling 25-22 in the set and 3-1 in the match.

Georgia takes on Howard Sunday at O'Keefe Gymnasium to bring a close to non-conference play. First serve between the Bulldogs and Bison is set for 3 p.m.