Volleyball Hosts Mississippi State in Midweek Contest

Georgia (6-13, 2-6)
vs. Mississippi State (16-5, 7-2)
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021
First Serve: 7 p.m.
Location: Athens, Ga.
Arena: Stegeman Coliseum
     Admission: FREE (no tickets required)

Media Information
Streaming: SEC Network+
   Play-by-play: Dave Weinstein
   Analysis: Nikki Chester
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter: @UGAvolleyball

First Serve
Georgia volleyball concludes its homestand with a midweek matchup against Mississippi State Wednesday at Stegeman Coliseum. The battle of the Bulldogs is set to begin at 7 p.m.

Follow the Bulldogs
» Wednesday's match will be streamed live via SEC Network+. Dave Weinstein (play-by-play) and Nikki Chester (analysis) will be on the call.
» Live stat links can be found on the volleyball schedule on GeorgiaDogs.com.
» Twitter updates will be available all season long on the official Twitter page of the Bulldogs, @UGAvolleyball.

Upcoming Promotions and Fan Information at Stegeman
Upcoming Promotions - vs. Mississippi State
» Wear Black!
     - Fans are encouraged to wear black to Wednesday's match
» Bitmoji Night
     - The first 400 fans will receive a Georgia volleyball Bitmoji t-shirt
     - UGA students will receive free food
Fan Information
» Admission is FREE to all regular-season home volleyball matches.
» The SEC Clear Bag Policy will be in effect.
» New core concessions prices include:
     - $2.50 – Jumbo hot dogs, 20 oz. bottle and fountain sodas
     - $2.00 – 20 oz bottle Dasani, candy, popcorn tub
» All concessions and merchandise transactions are cashless/contactless.
     - Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover are accepted.

Registration Now Open for Dad & Daughter Day
Registration is now open for Dad & Daughter Day on Sunday, Nov. 14. Registrants will receive a complimentary lunch and t-shirt along with a meet-and-great with head coach Tom Black. We kindly ask that all daughters be no younger than four years old and, per NCAA regulations, no older than fifth grade. Register here: gado.gs/7vd.

BULLDOGS BULLETIN
Series History
- Georgia leads the all-time series against Mississippi State 48-14
- In Athens, Georgia has won 23-of-26 meetings against MSU
- Under Tom Black, Georgia is 5-1 against Mississippi State, 2-0 in Athens
- Georgia and Mississippi State split the season series in Starkville last season to close the 2020 campaign
- Five of the last six matchups have been three set decisions

A Look at What's Ahead
October will come to a close with a pair of matches at Alabama this weekend. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide will open the two-match series Saturday at 2 p.m., ET, in Tuscaloosa. Georgia and Alabama will play another matinee match Sunday with first serve slated for 12 p.m., ET, live on SEC Network. After a bye week from competition, Georgia will return to the court at No. 5 Kentucky Nov. 10. That match will air nationally on ESPNU from Lexington.

Let's Recap
Georgia split its season series with Auburn at Stegeman Coliseum last week, first falling in three sets on Thursday then sweeping the Tigers the following evening. After Thursday's loss, Georgia bounced back to hit .278, a best in league play for the Bulldogs this season. Junior Kacie Evans tallied 12 kills. Georgia concluded the match with seven blocks in the final set to tally 12 in the match. It was Georgia's first SEC win at home this season.

Coming Out Strong
This season, Georgia has come out of the gate strong, winning the opening set in 14-of-19 matches. The Bulldogs have taken opening sets by an average of over five points.

Aces Wild
The Bulldogs have had a history of excellent serving under Tom Black and 2021 has been no exception. Georgia ranks third in the SEC with 105 total services aces this season and with 1.42 aces per set. Individually, junior Amber Stivrins ranks third in the SEC with 30 total and 0.42 aces per set.

Blocking Improves in 2020-21
Georgia concluded the 2020-21 season ranked fourth in the SEC in blocking as a team, completing the campaign with 2.25 blocks per set. It was the highest finish in the category under Tom Black. SEC All-Freshman Team member Phoebe Awoleye finished top-five in the league with 1.05 blocks per set as a rookie.

This season, Awoleye is eighth in the SEC with 78 total blocks and ninth with 1.08 blocks per set.

Rookies Shine on Opening Weekend
Georgia saw four freshmen play in every set on opening weekend, three starting all 11 sets. Setter Clara Brower handed out 10.09 assists per set and ran an offense that hit .299 as a team. She also contributed 17 digs and seven blocks. Outside hitter turned middle blocker Lyric Stewart tallied 2.36 kills per set, hit .467 on the weekend, and led the team with 12 blocks. Outside hitter Abby Maesch led the team with 30 kills and 2.73 kills per set. Defensive specialist Bailey cox put up 18 digs (1.64 d/s) and laid down four service aces.

Bulldogs Set for Strong 2021 Slate of Matches
Eight opponents on Georgia's schedule appeared in the 2020 NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament, three of which played in the Elite Eight round. Six of Georgia's opponents concluded the season in the AVCA Top 25 including top-10 finishers Kentucky, Florida, and Nebraska.

Breaking Down the Roster
The Bulldogs' roster features 17 student-athletes with a mix of experienced and new talent. Overall, each position on the court comes with a significant amount of depth. The roster breaks down to five seniors, three juniors and sophomores each, and a total of six freshman, five of which are true freshmen. Position wise, the Bulldogs have a near perfect mix at each position. Georgia returns five starters plus its starting libero from last season.

Volleyball Hosts Mississippi State in Midweek Contest

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Players Mentioned

Phoebe Awoleye

Clara Brower

Kacie Evans

Abby Maesch

Lyric Stewart

Amber Stivrins