Tennessee Drop Five-Set Match to Alabama

Sunday, November 12

Tuscaloosa, AL

2:00 PM

University of Tennessee

11-13, 4-11SEC

Alabama

17-11, 5-9SEC

Tennessee

Alabama

November 12, 2017 | Volleyball

Box Score

Box Score (PDF) | Match Highlights

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Madison Coulter, Stephanie Buss and Alyssa Andreno all had double-digit kills, combining for 33 of Tennessee's 59 kills, but it was not enough as Alabama held on to win 3-2 (21-25, 25-19, 17-25, 25-18, 15-11) at Foster Auditorium Sunday afternoon.

The Lady Vols (11-13, 4-11 SEC) played their sixth five-set match of the season.

Coulter finished with 13 kills while hitting .407. Buss recorded 12 kills and a .393 hitting percentage, while Andreno closed out the double-digit kills with 10 to go along with a .450 hitting percentage.

Andreno had four kills and a .500 hitting percentage as Tennessee took the opening set 25-21 over Alabama (17-11, 5-9 SEC). Wining the opening set was not an easy task, as both teams were evenly matched and neither team took a major lead until Tennessee went up 19-16.

There were 11 ties in the opening set, but it was a 4-0 run by the Big Orange that proved to be the difference as Tennessee took a 21-16 lead from that run that stated with a kill from Coulter.

The Tide would only get as close as two points when the score was 22-20 following a kill by Alabama's Mahalia Swink.

The Tide used an 8-0 run to take their first lead of the set at 23-18 over the Lady Vols. It was a service error by Alabama's Leah Lawrence that ended the run, but Tennessee would not score a point on their own as Alabama won the set 25-19 after an 11-2 run.

The Lady Vols coasted to a third-set win over the Crimson Tide 25-17. It was not until late in the set when the Tide would make it slightly interesting by scoring four straight points with two coming off aces from Meghan Neelon, but Tennessee would hold on to win the set by hitting an impressive .440 led by Stephanie Buss who was a perfect 3-for-3 in the set.

Despite hitting .312 with 12 kills and two blocks, Tennessee could not hold on to win the fourth set, as Alabama hit .444 and had 19 kills as they took the fourth set 25-18.

Down early in the fifth set, the Lady Vols used a 4-0 to retake the lead at 5-3 off back-to-back kills by Buss. Alabama battled back to take a 7-6 lead off an attack error by Tessa Grubbs, but the lead was short-lived as Tennessee tied the set back up following that point and the two teams would battle to the end.

Alabama took the set 15-11 and the match 3-2. Buss had five of the team's seven kills in the final set and hit a .400.

Tennessee will back in action on Friday, Nov. 17, when the Lady Vols welcome the Ole Miss Rebels to Thompson-Boling Arena at 7 p.m.