Georgia Concludes Season with Five-Set Loss to Cal Poly

Friday, December 6

Stanford, Calif.

7:30 p.m.

University of Georgia

20-10

Cal Poly

21-8

Georgia

Cal Poly

Georgia Concludes Season with Five-Set Loss to Cal Poly

December 06, 2019 | Volleyball

Box Score

STANFORD, Calif. – Despite a two-set lead to start the match, the University of Georgia women's volleyball team fell to Cal Poly in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament Friday evening at Maples Pavilion (25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 22-25, 10-15).

The very close match saw 43 ties and the lead change a total of 20 times.

"Tonight's match was a battle from the start," said head coach Tom Black. "To get this experience, win or lose, is a huge step in the right direction for our program looking ahead to the future.

"We'll miss our senior, Meghan Donovan," Black added "She's been a huge part in turning our program around. She's a stud and we wouldn't have made the tournament without her."

Freshman Kacie Evans led the offensive attack for the Bulldogs with 23 kills, her fifth 20-kill match of her freshman campaign. With 11 digs, the Wadsworth, Ohio native recorded her eighth double-double.

Evans was followed by 13 kills from junior Kianna Young and 11 from Rachel Ritchie. Kayla Rivera contributed nine kills.

In her final match in a Georgia uniform, senior Meghan Donovan dished out 55 assists with four kills and nine digs.

Defensively, sophomore Sage Naves joined Young with five blocks apiece while junior libero Kendall Glover led the match with 14 digs.

The Bulldogs (20-10) and Mustangs (21-8) opened the match nearly going point-for-point with Cal Poly leading by one at the first set media timeout, 15-14. Following the timeout on the floor, the Mustangs won the next two rallies to open a 17-14 lead, prompting a Georgia timeout. Georgia closed the gap with back-to-back blocks, tying it at 19. Tied at 23, a kill from Rivera drew set point and a Mustang error sealed the deal for Georgia, 25-23. The first set featured 18 ties and six lead changes. Evans tallied five kills in the first set while Rivera had four.

Georgia began the second set on a 4-0 run, forcing an early timeout from the Mustang bench. The Mustangs worked to narrow the early deficit and tie the set at 11. Cal Poly took a 15-13 lead and Georgia used a timeout. Down 17-15, Georgia rattled off four-straight including back-to-back kills from Rivera to take the lead 19-17 and force the Mustangs' second timeout. The Bulldogs were able to hold on to the lead and win the second set, 25-22, widening its lead in the match to 2-0. Evans and Rivera matched their kill count from set one as Evans topped the double-digit kill mark in the second set. As a team, Georgia hit .333 in the frame, its best of the match.

An ace by Evans widened Georgia's lead to 7-4 in the third then Cal Poly responded with four-straight to retake an 8-7 lead. Down 9-8, three-straight for the Bulldogs including two kills from Young gave Georgia an 11-9 advantage. With Georgia ahead 17-16, the Mustangs Used a 4-1 run to open a 20-18 lead. The Mustangs closed the set on a 4-0 run, fending off a sweep, 25-20.

Cal Poly opened the fourth set with a 5-1 lead as Georgia was forced to use an early timeout. Down 8-4, Georgia rattled off six-straight points to take a 10-8 lead on the Mustangs. With Georgia ahead 21-20 in the fourth, Cal Poly wrapped up the frame on a 5-1 run to win the set 25-22 and force a fifth and final set.

The momentum of the third and fourth sets spilled into the fifth for the Mustangs. Cal Poly went ahead 5-2, as Georgia took and early timeout. Down 13-7, Evans tallied back-to-back kills to cut the lead to four, 13-9. That would be the closest Georgia would get and the Mustangs wrapped up the set 15-10 and the reverse sweep of the Bulldogs, 3-2,