Saturday, August 25
Athens, Ga.
12:30 p.m.
University of Georgia
2-0
3
vs
0
Furman
0-2
1
2
3
F
Furman
20
29
18
0
Georgia
25
31
25
3
Photo by: John Paul Van Wert
Georgia Wins Benson Hospitality Invitational
August 25, 2018 | Volleyball
ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia volleyball (3-0) completed a three-match sweep of opening weekend to win the Benson Hospitality Invitational.
Georgia defeated Furman (0-2) in straight sets in Saturday's first match then defeated Illinois State (2-1) in four sets to cap the tournament off.
Sophomore T'ara Ceasar was named the Tournament MVP while fellow sophomore Rachel Ritchie and junior Meghan Donovan were named All-Tournament Team.
Ceasar finished the weekend with 52 kills (4.73 kills/set) and a .368 hitting percentage. Ritchie recorded 3.55 kills per set while Donovan had 11.08 assists per set and ran an offense that hit .286 on the weekend.
Georgia 3, Furman 0 (25-20, 31-29, 25-18)
In Saturday's matinee, the Bulldogs were led offensively by Majesti Basswith 12 kills and a .360 hitting clip. The senior also assisted on four blocks. Sophomore Ritchiepicked up her second double-digit kill match in a row with 11 while hitting .333. She was a dig short of earning a double-double. Ritchie, along with Ceasarand Kendall Glover, each had nine digs.
Redshirt-freshman Claire Rothenberger, in her first start at Libero, registered 18 digs. Junior setter Donovanassisted on 39 kills with 12 digs, her second double-double in as many days. As a team, Georgia hit .291 Saturday afternoon. At the service line, Georgia had seven aces, led by four from Glover.
Georgia's 64 team digs in three sets ranked fourth all-time in rally scoring history as a program.
The opening frame was close to begin before a six-point run opened a 14-9 lead for the Bulldogs. Georgia was able to keep Furman at bay the remainder of the set en route to a 25-20 victory.
Ceasar and Bass each had five kills. Bass hit .833 in the set, laying down five kills on six chances.
The second set was the tightest set of the match as it featured 17 ties. The Bulldogs and Paladins went point-for-point much of the set with neither team able to get a handle on a significant lead. Georgia prevailed in the end of the long set to take a 2-0 lead in the match, 31-29.
Ritchie laid down seven total kills in the second set alone. Rothenberger had 10 digs on defense while the front row combined for four blocks.
Tied at 13 in the third set, Georgia scored on seven of the next eight serves to go ahead 20-14. The Bulldogs' run was too much for Furman as Georgia shut the door on the sweep with a 25-18 set three win.
Georgia 3, Illinois State 1 (25-23, 16-25, 25-15, 25-16)
Ceasar fell a kill short of tying a career best, finishing the nightcap with 22 kills and hitting .380 to lead the Bulldog offense. She picked up her second double-double of the young season with 13 digs. Ritchie followed with 13 kills while Bass contributed 10.
Donovan recorded her third double-double with 47 assists and 12 digs while adding three blocks. She ran an offense that hit .311 as a team. Glover led the defense with 23 digs.
A 5-0 Bulldog run early contributed to an 8-3 lead for Georgia which it held onto much of the set, leading by as much as six, 13-7. The Red Birds battled to knot the set up late at 21 then finding a lead on Georgia, 22-21. A kill by Bass and an ace by Ritchie, her third of the set, put Georgia back in the lead. The Bulldogs were able to ward off Illinois State in the final serves to capture the win, 25-23, and a 1-0 lead in the match.
Ceasar led all attackers in the set with five kills while Bass had four to her name with an .800 hitting percentage. Ritchie's three aces in the first set alone tied a career high she had set three times previously; she finished the match with a new career-best four.
A 9-1 run by Illinois State opened an eight-point lead for the Red Birds in the second set, one they rode to a 25-16 set two victory. Ceasar added four kills to bring her match tally to nine in the second stanza.
Georgia used a seven-point string to open the third set and never relinquished the lead to cruise to a 25-15 win in set three to retake a lead in the match, 2-1. Ceasar added six kills in the third and hit .750 on eight chances. As a team, the Bulldogs hit .353 in the stanza.
Up by four in the fourth, 16-12, Georgia used a 6-1 run to further the lead and held on to win the final set 25-16, capturing the match in four sets.
Georgia will travel west to California in week two action. The Bulldogs will take part in the UCI/Adidas Invitational. The Bulldogs will play Texas Tech (3:30 p.m., ET) and hosts UC Irvine (10 p.m.) on Friday.
Georgia defeated Furman (0-2) in straight sets in Saturday's first match then defeated Illinois State (2-1) in four sets to cap the tournament off.
Sophomore T'ara Ceasar was named the Tournament MVP while fellow sophomore Rachel Ritchie and junior Meghan Donovan were named All-Tournament Team.
Ceasar finished the weekend with 52 kills (4.73 kills/set) and a .368 hitting percentage. Ritchie recorded 3.55 kills per set while Donovan had 11.08 assists per set and ran an offense that hit .286 on the weekend.
Georgia 3, Furman 0 (25-20, 31-29, 25-18)
In Saturday's matinee, the Bulldogs were led offensively by Majesti Basswith 12 kills and a .360 hitting clip. The senior also assisted on four blocks. Sophomore Ritchiepicked up her second double-digit kill match in a row with 11 while hitting .333. She was a dig short of earning a double-double. Ritchie, along with Ceasarand Kendall Glover, each had nine digs.
Redshirt-freshman Claire Rothenberger, in her first start at Libero, registered 18 digs. Junior setter Donovanassisted on 39 kills with 12 digs, her second double-double in as many days. As a team, Georgia hit .291 Saturday afternoon. At the service line, Georgia had seven aces, led by four from Glover.
Georgia's 64 team digs in three sets ranked fourth all-time in rally scoring history as a program.
The opening frame was close to begin before a six-point run opened a 14-9 lead for the Bulldogs. Georgia was able to keep Furman at bay the remainder of the set en route to a 25-20 victory.
Ceasar and Bass each had five kills. Bass hit .833 in the set, laying down five kills on six chances.
The second set was the tightest set of the match as it featured 17 ties. The Bulldogs and Paladins went point-for-point much of the set with neither team able to get a handle on a significant lead. Georgia prevailed in the end of the long set to take a 2-0 lead in the match, 31-29.
Ritchie laid down seven total kills in the second set alone. Rothenberger had 10 digs on defense while the front row combined for four blocks.
Tied at 13 in the third set, Georgia scored on seven of the next eight serves to go ahead 20-14. The Bulldogs' run was too much for Furman as Georgia shut the door on the sweep with a 25-18 set three win.
Georgia 3, Illinois State 1 (25-23, 16-25, 25-15, 25-16)
Ceasar fell a kill short of tying a career best, finishing the nightcap with 22 kills and hitting .380 to lead the Bulldog offense. She picked up her second double-double of the young season with 13 digs. Ritchie followed with 13 kills while Bass contributed 10.
Donovan recorded her third double-double with 47 assists and 12 digs while adding three blocks. She ran an offense that hit .311 as a team. Glover led the defense with 23 digs.
A 5-0 Bulldog run early contributed to an 8-3 lead for Georgia which it held onto much of the set, leading by as much as six, 13-7. The Red Birds battled to knot the set up late at 21 then finding a lead on Georgia, 22-21. A kill by Bass and an ace by Ritchie, her third of the set, put Georgia back in the lead. The Bulldogs were able to ward off Illinois State in the final serves to capture the win, 25-23, and a 1-0 lead in the match.
Ceasar led all attackers in the set with five kills while Bass had four to her name with an .800 hitting percentage. Ritchie's three aces in the first set alone tied a career high she had set three times previously; she finished the match with a new career-best four.
A 9-1 run by Illinois State opened an eight-point lead for the Red Birds in the second set, one they rode to a 25-16 set two victory. Ceasar added four kills to bring her match tally to nine in the second stanza.
Georgia used a seven-point string to open the third set and never relinquished the lead to cruise to a 25-15 win in set three to retake a lead in the match, 2-1. Ceasar added six kills in the third and hit .750 on eight chances. As a team, the Bulldogs hit .353 in the stanza.
Up by four in the fourth, 16-12, Georgia used a 6-1 run to further the lead and held on to win the final set 25-16, capturing the match in four sets.
Georgia will travel west to California in week two action. The Bulldogs will take part in the UCI/Adidas Invitational. The Bulldogs will play Texas Tech (3:30 p.m., ET) and hosts UC Irvine (10 p.m.) on Friday.
Team Stats
FUR
UG
Kills
36
49
Errors
15
12
Attempts
122
127
Hitting %
.172
.291
Points
45.0
64.0
Assists
30
46
Aces
3
7
Blocks
6.0
8.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
MB
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