KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The No. 22 Tennessee volleyball team battled past an upset-minded Fairfield team as it finished its opening weekend of the season with a sweep (27-25, 25-23, 25-12) on Saturday night at Food City Center.
UT caps off the Tennessee Tournament with three wins to start the year, all via the sweep. It was another capacity crowd on the evening, with 6,687 fans packed into Food City Center.
Kennedi Rogers delivered another double-double performance, tying her career high with 21 kills, adding 10 digs and leading the team with three blocks. Jalyn Stout put forth another complete effort for Tennessee, posting nine kills along with seven digs. Caroline Kerr tallied her first 40-assist performance of the season with 41 to go along with eight digs. It was also the fifth year setter’s 40th match with 40 or more assists in her collegiate career. Maggie Dostic and Sydney Jaynes led the charge behind the service line with three and two aces apiece.
Defensively, Tennessee finished the contest with 46 digs and five blocks. Burns logged her third consecutive double-digit dig outing to start the campaign, tying Rogers for the team lead with 10. Middle blocker Jolene Oddo kept up her strong start to her collegiate career, with two blocks and eight kills of her own.
Tennessee got off to a quick start in the first set, building an early 12-3 lead. Fairfield would battle back, leveling the set at 25-25. The Lady Vols would stave off the Fairfield charge to take the first set 27-25. Stout and Rogers led the Big Orange in the first frame with four kills each. Stout and Burns led the Tennessee defense with four digs each.
Fairfield took the early advantage in the second set, leading 10-7. Tennessee would level the score at 15-15, as both teams would trade points late in the set. Rogers would put the set away for Tennessee to go ahead by two sets. Rogers dominated in the second, putting up 11 kills on a .381 hitting percentage.
The Lady Vols put on a complete performance to close out the third. The Big Orange got 20 kills in the third set on a .485 hitting percentage. Oddo and Rogers led the team with six kills each, followed by Stout with five. Kerr supported the attack with 17 of the Lady Vols’ 18 assists in the third. Fairfield struggled in the final set, held to just eight kills and a .172 hitting percentage.
Up next, the Lady Vols continue their homestand to start the season as they host Illinois as part of the inaugural 2026 Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week on Sept. 1. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m., with the match televised nationally on the SEC Network.
