Bulldogs Fall in Four Sets to Open Series in Oxford

Thursday, November 18

Oxford, Miss.

7:00 p.m.

University of Georgia

10-16,6-9SEC

Ole Miss

19-7,8-7SEC

Georgia

Ole Miss

Bulldogs Fall in Four Sets to Open Series in Oxford

November 18, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Georgia women's volleyball team opened its series at Ole Miss with a four-set loss at the Gillom Athletics Performance Center (20-25, 14-25, 25-19, 18-25).

The Georgia offense was led by 15 kills from junior outside hitter Kacie Evans. She tallied 10 digs for sixth double-double of the season. Senior Kayla Rivera added nine kills in the contest.

Defensively, freshman libero Bailey Cox put up a team-best 16 digs Thursday evening. Sophomore Phoebe Awoleye put up six blocks in the match.

After a back-and-forth battle to open the first stanza, Ole Miss (19-7, 8-7) used a 5-1 run to open a 14-10 lead on the Bulldogs and force a Georgia timeout. The closest Georgia (10-16) would get to the Rebels in the first was three as Ole Miss kept the Bulldogs at bay to take the opening set 25-20. Evans tallied five kills in the first and hit .400.

The Rebels jumped out to an early 4-1 advantage in the second and forced a quick Georgia timeout. Ole Miss built on its early lead and rolled to a 25-14 set two win, widening its lead to 2-0 in the match. The Rebels concluded the frame on a 5-1 run.

Down 8-5 in the third, Georgia rattled off a 6-1 run and found an 11-9 lead to prompt Ole Miss' first timeout of the match. Later, the Rebels strung together five-straight to retake the lead, 18-17. The Bulldogs responded by taking the next four-straight points to go back in front 21-18 and force a final Rebel timeout. The third set ended on an 8-1 Georgia run en route to a final score of 25-19, forcing a fourth set against the Rebels.

Ole Miss took an early lead in the fourth and grew the advantage to 11-7 before a 6-1 Bulldog run gave Georgia a 13-12 advantage in the must-win set. With Georgia ahead 14-13, Ole Miss flipped the lead once again with a 5-1 run to go ahead 18-15 and force a Georgia break. The Rebels held on to take the set 25-18 and the match in four sets.

Georgia and Ole Miss conclude the series Friday evening in Oxford. First serve between the Bulldogs and Rebels is set for 7 p.m., ET, on SEC Network+.