Friday, October 22
Athens, Ga.
7:00 p.m.
University of Georgia
6-13,2-6SEC
3
vs
0
Auburn
12-8,4-6SEC
1
2
3
F
Auburn
14
18
23
0
Georgia
25
25
25
3
Georgia Responds with Sweep of Auburn Friday
October 22, 2021 | Volleyball
ATHENS, Ga. – After falling to Auburn Thursday evening, the University of Georgia women's volleyball team responded in a big way Friday with a sweep of the Tigers at Stegeman Coliseum (25-14, 25-18, 25-23).
Junior outside hitter Kacie Evans recorded 12 kills in the match with a .409 hitting clip. She narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with nine digs. Fellow junior Amber Stivrins put up eight kills. Evans and Stivrins combined for five service aces.
Freshman libero Bailey Cox matched Evans' nine digs to co-lead the team. Georgia put up 12 blocks on the evening, led by six from senior Sage Naves and five each from Phoebe Awoleye and Kayla Rivera.
The Bulldogs (6-13, 2-6) capitalized on Auburn errors to go on a 5-0 run early in the opening stanza to open a 10-5 lead and prompt a Tiger timeout. The Bulldogs kept their foot on the gas and drew set point with an 11-point lead, 24-13. A kill from Rivera finished the set for the Bulldogs, 25-14. Georgia hit .519 in the opening set and didn't commit any attacking or service errors to open the match. Evans led the attack with six kills at an .857 clip.
Auburn (12-8, 4-6) jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second set until a six-point scoring run propelled the Bulldogs to an 8-5 advantage. With Georgia ahead 14-11, the Bulldogs rattled off six-straight to break open a 20-11 lead on the Tigers in the set. The set went by way of the Bulldogs, 25-18, and Georgia captured the 2-0 lead in the match.
Set three was the closest stanza of the match as it featured 11 ties and three lead changes. Down 8-4, Georgia tied it up at 8-all with a 4-0 run. A back-and-forth battle ensued. Three-straight put the Bulldogs in front 23-21 down the stretch until the Tigers tied it back up at 23 and Georgia used its final timeout. A kill from Stivrins and a Bulldog block from Naves and Rivera sealed the deal in the third to complete the sweep of Auburn, 25-23.
Georgia's four-match homestand will end with a midweek matchup against Mississippi State this Wednesday. First serve in the battle of the Bulldogs is set for 7 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum.
Head Coach Tom Black
On what the Bulldogs did to respond from Thursday…
"Yeah, it was a completely different match we did a lot but mainly we competed and kept our composure in set three, huge emotional shift as well as some of the volleyball stuff that got better."
On what specific aspects were strongest…
"Our blocking was twice as good as it was last night, our offense was twice as good as it was last night, Kacey Evans had a huge part of that, but I thought both of our setters did a good job and were putting a lot of pressure on them."
On how the team maintained its momentum…
"Hopefully it is a sign that we are growing and maturing, and things aren't going to come easy you gotta earn them and I think we've been waiting around for pixie dust to come save us this season and the girls really grew up tonight and stood up on their own two feet and did it so it's just a matter of building on that. Clearly, we showed we can play some good volleyball when we are out there are ready to go so, I am excited to build off it."
Junior outside hitter Kacie Evans
On what helped the team bounce back after last night…
"I think we played more for the love of each other tonight. Last night, I just felt really disconnected from everyone, just from a personal standpoint. I know other people were feeling it too. I remember the talk in the locker room before the match saying that we are playing for each other. It's just so emotionally cool to really feel that. That was heart what we just did. That's the team that I'm here to play for. I love this team so much because that was the best response we've had all season. That was really for each other. That was really playing for the person next to you. I loved every minute of it, and I know they loved every minute of it too. It was really awesome to see.
On what the team did well tonight…
"Blocking. I think definitely in a three-set match, that's the best blocking game we've had. I mean Phoebe Awoleye is getting over. Meghan Froemming, Sage [Naves], Amber [Stivrins], everyone was treating the game like it matters every point, and that's where the blocking came in. Last night we didn't have the best blocking night, and that was not going to happen again. We definitely changed it. You see more blockers getting across and stuffing the crap out of each pin or middle. It's an awesome change to see tonight."
Junior outside hitter Kacie Evans recorded 12 kills in the match with a .409 hitting clip. She narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with nine digs. Fellow junior Amber Stivrins put up eight kills. Evans and Stivrins combined for five service aces.
Freshman libero Bailey Cox matched Evans' nine digs to co-lead the team. Georgia put up 12 blocks on the evening, led by six from senior Sage Naves and five each from Phoebe Awoleye and Kayla Rivera.
The Bulldogs (6-13, 2-6) capitalized on Auburn errors to go on a 5-0 run early in the opening stanza to open a 10-5 lead and prompt a Tiger timeout. The Bulldogs kept their foot on the gas and drew set point with an 11-point lead, 24-13. A kill from Rivera finished the set for the Bulldogs, 25-14. Georgia hit .519 in the opening set and didn't commit any attacking or service errors to open the match. Evans led the attack with six kills at an .857 clip.
Auburn (12-8, 4-6) jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second set until a six-point scoring run propelled the Bulldogs to an 8-5 advantage. With Georgia ahead 14-11, the Bulldogs rattled off six-straight to break open a 20-11 lead on the Tigers in the set. The set went by way of the Bulldogs, 25-18, and Georgia captured the 2-0 lead in the match.
Set three was the closest stanza of the match as it featured 11 ties and three lead changes. Down 8-4, Georgia tied it up at 8-all with a 4-0 run. A back-and-forth battle ensued. Three-straight put the Bulldogs in front 23-21 down the stretch until the Tigers tied it back up at 23 and Georgia used its final timeout. A kill from Stivrins and a Bulldog block from Naves and Rivera sealed the deal in the third to complete the sweep of Auburn, 25-23.
Georgia's four-match homestand will end with a midweek matchup against Mississippi State this Wednesday. First serve in the battle of the Bulldogs is set for 7 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum.
Head Coach Tom Black
On what the Bulldogs did to respond from Thursday…
"Yeah, it was a completely different match we did a lot but mainly we competed and kept our composure in set three, huge emotional shift as well as some of the volleyball stuff that got better."
On what specific aspects were strongest…
"Our blocking was twice as good as it was last night, our offense was twice as good as it was last night, Kacey Evans had a huge part of that, but I thought both of our setters did a good job and were putting a lot of pressure on them."
On how the team maintained its momentum…
"Hopefully it is a sign that we are growing and maturing, and things aren't going to come easy you gotta earn them and I think we've been waiting around for pixie dust to come save us this season and the girls really grew up tonight and stood up on their own two feet and did it so it's just a matter of building on that. Clearly, we showed we can play some good volleyball when we are out there are ready to go so, I am excited to build off it."
Junior outside hitter Kacie Evans
On what helped the team bounce back after last night…
"I think we played more for the love of each other tonight. Last night, I just felt really disconnected from everyone, just from a personal standpoint. I know other people were feeling it too. I remember the talk in the locker room before the match saying that we are playing for each other. It's just so emotionally cool to really feel that. That was heart what we just did. That's the team that I'm here to play for. I love this team so much because that was the best response we've had all season. That was really for each other. That was really playing for the person next to you. I loved every minute of it, and I know they loved every minute of it too. It was really awesome to see.
On what the team did well tonight…
"Blocking. I think definitely in a three-set match, that's the best blocking game we've had. I mean Phoebe Awoleye is getting over. Meghan Froemming, Sage [Naves], Amber [Stivrins], everyone was treating the game like it matters every point, and that's where the blocking came in. Last night we didn't have the best blocking night, and that was not going to happen again. We definitely changed it. You see more blockers getting across and stuffing the crap out of each pin or middle. It's an awesome change to see tonight."
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
Team Stats
AUB
UGa
Kills
40
38
Errors
20
11
Attempts
109
97
Hitting %
.183
.278
Points
47
56
Assists
32
33
Aces
0
6
Blocks
7
12
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
12
Aces
3
Blocks
4
Kills
8
Aces
2
Blocks
0
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
DS
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOPP
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballOPP
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballGeorgia Volleyball vs Georgia Southern - Postgame Recap
Saturday, September 13
Georgia Volleyball vs Presbyterian College - Postgame Recap
Friday, September 12
Georgia Volleyball vs Duke - Postgame Recap
Friday, September 05
Georgia Volleyball vs Texas Tech - Postgame Recap
Friday, September 05
