Bulldogs Earn Five-Set Victory Over Rebels in Final Road Match

Friday, November 19

Oxford, Miss.

7:00 p.m.

University of Georgia

11-16,7-9SEC

Ole Miss

19-8,8-8SEC

Georgia

Ole Miss

Bulldogs Earn Five-Set Victory Over Rebels in Final Road Match

November 19, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Georgia women's volleyball team defeated Ole Miss Friday evening in a five-set battle at the Gillom Athletics Performance Center (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 19-25, 15-10). The match was Georgia's final road contest of the 2021 season.

The junior outside hitter duo of Kacie Evans and Amber Stivrins paced the Georgia offense, registering 20 and 14 kills, respectively. Senior Sage Naves tallied 10 kills and was the third Bulldog to top double-digit kills.

As a team, the Bulldogs laid down 10 service aces in the match, tying a season best, led by three from Evans.

Defensively, freshman libero Bailey Cox picked up 23 digs, a new career best. Cox was the lone Bulldog to earn double-digit digs. On the net junior Meghan Froemming recorded a career-best six blocks while Phoebe Awoleye and Sage Naves added five of their own.

The Bulldogs and Rebels found themselves knotted at six before seven-straight opened a 13-6 Ole Miss lead in the first. Georgia (11-16, 7-9) battled to put itself in striking distance of the Rebels down the stretch, narrowing the deficit to two, 22-20 and prompting an Ole Miss (19-8, 8-8) break. Back-to-back kills from Evans made it a one-point set, 23-22. The Rebels held on to take the opening stanza 25-23. Evans recorded five kills with a .714 hitting clip in the first frame.

With Georgia holding on to an 8-7 lead, Ole Miss went on a 5-1 run to take a 12-9 lead in the second. The Bulldogs took the next three out of the timeout to knot it up at 12-all. Down one, Georgia put together three-straight to find a 20-19 lead on the Rebels. Tied at 22, Georgia used a Rebel service error and a Bulldog block to draw set point. Georgia took the close set 25-23 and tied the match at a set apiece.

Set three opened with a back-and-forth battle. Three-straight from Georgia put the Bulldogs in front 11-9 and Ole Miss called a quick timeout. Another Rebel timeout came after Awoelye's second ace of the match to put Georgia ahead 16-13. The Bulldogs reached the 20-point mark but Ole Miss cut it to one at 20-19, prompting a Georgia break. The Rebels tied it at 21, but Georgia took four of the next five points to conclude the third set 25-22 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Back-to-back service aces from Evans helped ignite an early run for Georgia to open a five-point lead on the Rebels, 10-5. Ole Miss battled to capture a 16-15 lead and force Georgia's first timeout of the set. The Rebels never trailed again in the set as they went on to take the frame 25-19 and force a decisive fifth set in the series finale.

After going point-for-point to open the fifth, Georgia managed to pull ahead and lead 8-5 at the fifth set media timeout. The Bulldogs held on to the lead and won the fifth and final set 15-10, ending the match on a 4-1 run. Of those four points, three were kills from Evans.

The Bulldogs will close out the 2021 season next weekend when Georgia hosts LSU. The series begins Friday, Nov. 26 at Stegeman Coliseum. The season finale is set for Saturday, Nov. 27. First serve of both matches will be at 2 p.m.