TENNESSEE TO BATTLE GEORGIA IN SEC VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

Nov. 20, 2003

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.

The University of Tennessee volleyball team (20-8, 10-6 SEC) is set to battle Georgia (17-12, 10-6 SEC) in the first round of the SEC Tournament at 3 p.m. on Friday in Columbia, S.C. The Lady Vols own the tournament's No. 4 seed, while UGA holds the No. 5 seed.

Tennessee and Georgia posted equal 10-6 records in SEC play this season, however, UT received the higher seeding because of tiebreaker procedures. UT and UGA split the season series between the two squads, however, the Lady Vols' victory came by a 3-0 count, while Georgia's win came by a score of 3-2. Tennessee was awarded the tiebreaker because of its 5-3 advantage in games won between the two teams.

Georgia's 3-2 win over the Lady Vols came on Oct. 3 in Athens, while UT claimed the most recent meeting by a 3-0 score on Nov. 2 in Knoxville. The all-time series between Tennessee and UGA has been one of the most competitive in the SEC, as the Lady Bulldogs hold a slim 26-22 advantage. The Lady Vols have had the edge recently, taking seven of the last 10 meetings, however, the two squads have split the season series in each of the last three years.

The last time Tennessee and Georgia met in the SEC Tournament was in 1992, when the 'Dogs downed UT, 3-0. The Lady Vols, however, boast a 3-2 advantage all-time over Georgia in SEC Tournament play.

Sophomore Julia Petruschke leads the Lady Bulldogs this season with 4.41 kills and 3.18 digs per game, averages that rank third and seventh, respectively, in the SEC. Senior Rashinda Reed, meanwhile, has tallied 1.34 blocks per game to rank fourth in the conference. Junior setter Margot Wallace has been handing out 12.17 assists per game, which rates her fourth in the league.

Tennessee, meanwhile, is coming off a weekend in which it swept Mississippi State and Ole Miss on the road. Those victories helped give the Lady Vols their third season with 20 or more wins in the last four years, including two 20-win seasons in a row. The last time UT teams posted back-to-back 20-win performances was in 1983 and 1984. Tennessee's 10 SEC wins is also a program high, bettering the league mark of 9-5 achieved by UT in 2000.

The Lady Vols will be making their 25th appearance at the SEC Tournament, which ties them with LSU for the most in league history. The Orange and White's all-time SEC Tourney record is 24-22, as the squad boasts three league titles (1981, '82, '84) and four runner-up finishes (1979, '80, '83, '88). Last year, UT fell to the host Arkansas Lady Razorbacks in the tournament's first round.

Tennessee is led offensively by middle blockers Kristen Andre and Sarah Blum, who rank fourth and eighth, respectively, in the SEC with hitting percentages of .365 and .319. Andre is second on the team with 3.45 kills per game, while Blum is posting 1.39 blocks per game to rate third in the conference. Defensively, sophomore OH Amy Morris leads the way with 3.58 digs per game, which currently rates her second in the league, while also leading the team with 3.46 kills per game. Sophomore setter Julie Knytych, meanwhile, is dishing out 12.49 assists per game (third in the SEC) and recording 2.99 digs per game (ninth in the SEC). Knytych's average of 12.95 assists per game in SEC matches ranks her first in the conference.

Following the SEC Tournament, Tennessee has one final regular-season match against Winthrop in Rock Hill, S.C., on Fri., Nov. 28. After that, if the Lady Vols do not receive the automatic NCAA bid that goes to the SEC Tournament champion, they will find out on Sun., Nov. 30 if they receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships.

2003 SEC Volleyball Tournament
Columbia, S.C.

First Round Matches - Fri., Nov. 21
(1) Florida	vs.	(8) Kentucky	1 p.m.
(4) Tennessee	vs.	(5) Georgia	3 p.m.
(3) Alabama	vs.	(6) South Carolina	6 p.m.
(2) Arkansas	vs.	(7) LSU	8 p.m.

University of Tennessee Athletics

TENNESSEE TO BATTLE GEORGIA IN SEC VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

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