Wednesday, October 27
Athens, Ga.
7:00 p.m.
University of Georgia
6-14,2-7SEC
2
vs
3
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Mississippi State
17-5,8-2SEC
1
2
3
4
5
F
Mississippi St.
24
25
26
24
15
3
Georgia
26
22
24
26
12
2
Georgia Falls in Hard-Fought Five-Set Battle Wednesday
October 27, 2021 | Volleyball
ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Georgia women's volleyball team fell to Mississippi State in a close five-set battle Wednesday evening at Stegeman Coliseum (26-24, 22-25, 24-26, 26-24, 12-15).
The match featured 32 ties and the lead changed 18 times altogether. Neither team won a set by a margin of victory greater than three points and three of the five sets went long to 26 points.
Georgia's blocking performance shined as the Bulldogs tallied a season-best 18 blocks, led by a career-best 11 from senior Sage Naves.
Junior Kacie Evans recorded 14 kills and tied a career-best 18 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. Senior Kayla Rivera put up 12 kills on the evening. Naves contributed eight kills.
Junior Amber Stivrins and sophomore Phoebe Awoleye each tallied three aces against Mississippi State.
Senior setter Dalaney Hans earned a double-double with 30 assist and 11 digs. Fellow setter Clara Brower just missed a double-double of her own, finishing with 22 assists and nine digs.
Georgia (6-14, 2-7) used a 3-0 run to find a brief 8-7 lead in the opening set before Mississippi State (17-5, 8-2) won six-of-seven points to take a 13-9 lead and prompt a timeout from the Georgia bench. MSU built its lead to seven, but a 4-0 Georgia run cut into the lead heading toward the stretch, 19-16. Down 22-20, Georgia recorded three-straight blocks to take a 23-22 lead late in the frame. Back-to-back kills from Stivrins completed the set for Georgia, 26-24. The Bulldogs tallied six total blocks in the opening stanza.
A 6-1 Georgia run put the Bulldogs in front 9-6 to open the second set. Mississippi State responded with seven-straight points to go ahead 13-9. Down four, Georgia used a 5-1 run to knot the set at 17-all. MSU never relinquished the lead and drew set point, 24-19. Georgia did not go quietly, taking the next three points to keep the set alive. MSU held on to take the set 25-22 and tie the match at a set apiece.
Four-straight from Mississippi State put the Bulldogs in front 7-5 early in set three. Down 11-7, Georgia called a timeout that proved to be effective as the Bulldogs went on a 5-1 run after the break to tie the set at 12-all. MSU retook the lead, but Georgia battled to knot it back up at 20 and force a Mississippi State timeout. Four-straight by MSU drew set point. A couple Mississippi State errors allowed Georgia to tie it at 24. It was two Georgia errors that sealed the third set for MSU, 26-24.
Georgia jumped out to a 4-1 lead in set four and held on to the lead for a while. With UGA ahead 13-9, a 5-1 Mississippi State run tied the stanza at 14, prompting a Georgia break. MSU kept the momentum going and found a 20-18 advantage and Georgia exhausted its timeouts. After the break, Georgia knotted it at 21, then again at 23. MSU drew match point but followed with an error to tie it back up at 24. A Stivrins ace and another MSU error gave Georgia the fourth set, forcing a fifth and final set, 26-24.
Mississippi State stormed out to a quick 4-0 lead in the fifth. Down four, five-straight from Georgia put UGA ahead 7-6; however, MSU responded with five of its own to go back in front 11-7. The Bulldogs from Starkville held on to take the set 15-12 and the match in five.
The Bulldogs will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for a pair of matches this weekend. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide open the series Saturday at 2 p.m., ET.
Head Coach Tom Black
On the benefit spreading the ball around throughout match…
"I think we were just taking what they were giving us. Their wings were leaving early, and their middle was bouncing around a little bit. We were just looking for our quicks. I think we got we got in a rhythm there getting them going, and that opened things up a little bit. We never really got our rhythm offensively, and I think that was the difference in the match. I thought our setter through the course of the match and our middles kept fighting through it. When we were able to get them going, that had an impact."
On the team's strong performance blocking tonight…
"I thought it was really good. As our serving picked up, I thought our blocking was good all match long. That's how we were hanging in there. If we can get our offense up to the level we expect, that will get us a different outcome."
Senior middle blocker Sage Naves
On the benefit spreading the ball around throughout match…
"I think the whole advantage of being on a team is we all bring different strengths to the table. I think tonight, we were using those strengths well, to our advantage. I think that's the spreading out that you were talking about."
On her biggest takeaway from the match…
"Just as a team, seeing the balls that we didn't execute on. It's a difference of two percent. A little ball here and a little ball there, they add up at the end of the day. It's just seeing where we need to execute and close. That's super essential in games like this."
The match featured 32 ties and the lead changed 18 times altogether. Neither team won a set by a margin of victory greater than three points and three of the five sets went long to 26 points.
Georgia's blocking performance shined as the Bulldogs tallied a season-best 18 blocks, led by a career-best 11 from senior Sage Naves.
Junior Kacie Evans recorded 14 kills and tied a career-best 18 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. Senior Kayla Rivera put up 12 kills on the evening. Naves contributed eight kills.
Junior Amber Stivrins and sophomore Phoebe Awoleye each tallied three aces against Mississippi State.
Senior setter Dalaney Hans earned a double-double with 30 assist and 11 digs. Fellow setter Clara Brower just missed a double-double of her own, finishing with 22 assists and nine digs.
Georgia (6-14, 2-7) used a 3-0 run to find a brief 8-7 lead in the opening set before Mississippi State (17-5, 8-2) won six-of-seven points to take a 13-9 lead and prompt a timeout from the Georgia bench. MSU built its lead to seven, but a 4-0 Georgia run cut into the lead heading toward the stretch, 19-16. Down 22-20, Georgia recorded three-straight blocks to take a 23-22 lead late in the frame. Back-to-back kills from Stivrins completed the set for Georgia, 26-24. The Bulldogs tallied six total blocks in the opening stanza.
A 6-1 Georgia run put the Bulldogs in front 9-6 to open the second set. Mississippi State responded with seven-straight points to go ahead 13-9. Down four, Georgia used a 5-1 run to knot the set at 17-all. MSU never relinquished the lead and drew set point, 24-19. Georgia did not go quietly, taking the next three points to keep the set alive. MSU held on to take the set 25-22 and tie the match at a set apiece.
Four-straight from Mississippi State put the Bulldogs in front 7-5 early in set three. Down 11-7, Georgia called a timeout that proved to be effective as the Bulldogs went on a 5-1 run after the break to tie the set at 12-all. MSU retook the lead, but Georgia battled to knot it back up at 20 and force a Mississippi State timeout. Four-straight by MSU drew set point. A couple Mississippi State errors allowed Georgia to tie it at 24. It was two Georgia errors that sealed the third set for MSU, 26-24.
Georgia jumped out to a 4-1 lead in set four and held on to the lead for a while. With UGA ahead 13-9, a 5-1 Mississippi State run tied the stanza at 14, prompting a Georgia break. MSU kept the momentum going and found a 20-18 advantage and Georgia exhausted its timeouts. After the break, Georgia knotted it at 21, then again at 23. MSU drew match point but followed with an error to tie it back up at 24. A Stivrins ace and another MSU error gave Georgia the fourth set, forcing a fifth and final set, 26-24.
Mississippi State stormed out to a quick 4-0 lead in the fifth. Down four, five-straight from Georgia put UGA ahead 7-6; however, MSU responded with five of its own to go back in front 11-7. The Bulldogs from Starkville held on to take the set 15-12 and the match in five.
The Bulldogs will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for a pair of matches this weekend. The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide open the series Saturday at 2 p.m., ET.
Head Coach Tom Black
On the benefit spreading the ball around throughout match…
"I think we were just taking what they were giving us. Their wings were leaving early, and their middle was bouncing around a little bit. We were just looking for our quicks. I think we got we got in a rhythm there getting them going, and that opened things up a little bit. We never really got our rhythm offensively, and I think that was the difference in the match. I thought our setter through the course of the match and our middles kept fighting through it. When we were able to get them going, that had an impact."
On the team's strong performance blocking tonight…
"I thought it was really good. As our serving picked up, I thought our blocking was good all match long. That's how we were hanging in there. If we can get our offense up to the level we expect, that will get us a different outcome."
Senior middle blocker Sage Naves
On the benefit spreading the ball around throughout match…
"I think the whole advantage of being on a team is we all bring different strengths to the table. I think tonight, we were using those strengths well, to our advantage. I think that's the spreading out that you were talking about."
On her biggest takeaway from the match…
"Just as a team, seeing the balls that we didn't execute on. It's a difference of two percent. A little ball here and a little ball there, they add up at the end of the day. It's just seeing where we need to execute and close. That's super essential in games like this."
Team Stats
MSU
UGa
Kills
63
59
Errors
37
35
Attempts
182
178
Hitting %
.143
.135
Points
79
84
Assists
59
55
Aces
5
7
Blocks
11
18
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
11
Kills
8
Aces
3
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballOPP
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
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