#17 Lady Vols Fall In SEC Tournament Semifinal Match Against #2 Kentucky

SAVANNAH, Ga. — The fourth-seeded Tennessee volleyball team dropped its semifinal match to one seed Kentucky at Enmarket Arena (25-20, 22-25, 15-25, 23-25).

Tennessee (20-7, 10-5 SEC) finished the evening with 59 kills and netted 56 assists. On defense the Lady Vols tallied 67 digs and nine blocks. Kentucky (24-2, 15-0 SEC) had 62 kills and 58 assists, tying the Lady Vols with nine blocks and edging them out with 70 digs

Hayden Kubik led the team with 25 kills, her fourth 20-plus kill performance of the season. Kubik also had 17 digs for her second consecutive match with a double-double. Caroline Kerr had 42 assists in the match, and also reached double-double status for the second straight match with 12 digs. Gülce Güçtekin patrolled the back row with 21 digs in the match, her fifth match this season with 20 or more digs. Mackenzie Plante filled up the stat sheet on Monday, with 10 kills, eight digs, four blocks, and two assists.

The first set saw 13 ties and eight lead changes to get the match started. Deadlocked at 18 apiece, the Lady Vols would use a 6-0 run to take control and earn the early lead. Kubik got her night started in a big way with nine kills to lead the attack. Kerr added 13 assists while Klaudia Pawlik led the team on blocks with two. Güçtekin controlled the floor defense in the first set, leading the team with nine digs as Tennessee held Kentucky to a .140 hitting percentage.

It was a close start to the second frame before Kentucky was able to separate and even the match at one all. Tennessee was led in kills once again by Hayden Kubik with six, followed closely behind by Starr Williams with five. Kerr added 14 more assists in the second frame, with Güçtekin having a team-high five digs.

Kentucky controlled the third stanza, out-hitting Tennessee 16-9 to take the one set advantage. Kentucky would get out to an early lead in the fourth set, before a Big orange rally gave them a 16-14 lead. It was hotly contested the rest of the fourth, but Tennessee would come up just short in the deciding set. 

Up next, the Lady Vols await the release of the bracket for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Tennessee is poised for its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth, and sixth under head coach Eve Rackham Watt.