University of Tennessee Athletics
Sunday, September 29
Knoxville
3 PM
University of Tennessee
7-5
3
vs
2
Texas A&M
9-3
1
2
3
4
5
F
Texas A&M
24
25
23
25
17
2
Tennessee
26
15
25
20
19
3
Tennessee Grabs First SEC Win in Five Sets Over Texas A&M
September 29, 2019 | Volleyball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee volleyball team grabbed its first win in conference play, defeating Texas A&M (26-24, 15-25, 25-23, 20-25, 19-17) in Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday.
After the Aggies (9-3, 1-1 SEC) won the fourth set to send it to a fifth set, the Lady Vols (7-5, 1-1 SEC) turned to their All-American in senior outside Tessa Grubbs to close out the match. The Tega Cay, South Carolina native tallied seven of her team-high 18 kills in the final frame.
With Tennessee trailing 17-16 and facing its fourth match point of the set, senior setter Sedona Hansen received the pass from sophomore Lily Felts and quickly got it out to the left pin. Grubbs hammered it to the seam, grazing the Aggie libero on the way down.
On the next play and the match tied at 17-17, Texas A&M's Lauren Davis tried to tip it over the block. Senior middle blocker Alyssa Andreno didn't let it get past the front row, depositing the tip back down to the floor. It gave Tennessee its first match point.
The Lady Vols would only need one match point to close out its first SEC win of the season. With Hansen back at the service stripe, she forced an overpass from the Aggies, going directly to Grubbs. She hammered it home to finish off the victory.
Sophomore Lily Felts played a big role in the victory helping lift the team to a 25-23 third set win. In the frame, Felts tallied six kills including the set clincher. She completed the night with a season-high 12 kills and eight digs while tying her career-high with four blocks.
Hansen finished with a team-high 43 assists to go along with 14 digs while junior Madison Coulter led the way with 23 digs in the match, the fourth time this season she has had 20-plus digs.
From Coach Rackham:
On grabbing the first win of conference play:
"I'm proud of our team for how they responded after Friday night. I have so much respect for the Texas A&M program. They're a terrific team. Our team knew was going to take our best effort to be able to win. Our team came out a little bit inconsistent, but we found a way in the end."-- Coach Eve Rackham
On the winning the fifth set:
"We were able to make two good plays in a row when we needed it. I hope it gives our team some confidence to be able to pull it out in the fifth set. In the SEC, we're going to play matches like that every weekend, and you make your season out of finding a way to win those type of matches." -- Coach Rackham
On Danielle Mahaffey in the six-rotation role:
"I'm proud of Danielle because we've asked her to do a lot. We've asked her to switch positions. We've asked her to play six rotations. We've asked her to do things she hasn't done since she was in high school. She's taken it all in stride and given us really positive performances. She came up huge with a block at the end and I'm just I'm happy for her because that kid works really hard."-- Coach Rackham
From Lily Felts:
On playing in Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday:
"It was great to play in front of our home crowd. It gives us a huge advantage to play at home because our crowd is great cheering behind us. It was great to come home and play, because it gave us an opportunity to make a statement after that tough loss on Friday." – Sophomore Lily Felts
On her strong offense performance:
"I was in a good rhythm because my setter kept putting me in really good situations. She knew when I would have the best opportunities to tool off the hands or get a kill down in the seam. I really have to give credit to my passers, defenders and my setter for putting me in good situations." – Sophomore Lily Felts
On carrying this momentum into next weekend:
"This gives us a lot of momentum because that's a big confidence booster to win against a really good team. It was a very competitive match and they are a very skilled team. It gives us a lot of momentum going into next weekend and hopefully we can get another one." – Sophomore Lily Felts
Standout Stat
The Lady Vols are back on the road on Friday night when they travel to Athens, Georgia for a matchup against Georgia. Last season, Tennessee defeated the Bulldogs in five sets.
First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. (ET) at Stegeman Coliseum. The match will also air on SEC Network+.
After the Aggies (9-3, 1-1 SEC) won the fourth set to send it to a fifth set, the Lady Vols (7-5, 1-1 SEC) turned to their All-American in senior outside Tessa Grubbs to close out the match. The Tega Cay, South Carolina native tallied seven of her team-high 18 kills in the final frame.
With Tennessee trailing 17-16 and facing its fourth match point of the set, senior setter Sedona Hansen received the pass from sophomore Lily Felts and quickly got it out to the left pin. Grubbs hammered it to the seam, grazing the Aggie libero on the way down.
On the next play and the match tied at 17-17, Texas A&M's Lauren Davis tried to tip it over the block. Senior middle blocker Alyssa Andreno didn't let it get past the front row, depositing the tip back down to the floor. It gave Tennessee its first match point.
The Lady Vols would only need one match point to close out its first SEC win of the season. With Hansen back at the service stripe, she forced an overpass from the Aggies, going directly to Grubbs. She hammered it home to finish off the victory.
Sophomore Lily Felts played a big role in the victory helping lift the team to a 25-23 third set win. In the frame, Felts tallied six kills including the set clincher. She completed the night with a season-high 12 kills and eight digs while tying her career-high with four blocks.
Hansen finished with a team-high 43 assists to go along with 14 digs while junior Madison Coulter led the way with 23 digs in the match, the fourth time this season she has had 20-plus digs.
From Coach Rackham:
On grabbing the first win of conference play:
"I'm proud of our team for how they responded after Friday night. I have so much respect for the Texas A&M program. They're a terrific team. Our team knew was going to take our best effort to be able to win. Our team came out a little bit inconsistent, but we found a way in the end."-- Coach Eve Rackham
On the winning the fifth set:
"We were able to make two good plays in a row when we needed it. I hope it gives our team some confidence to be able to pull it out in the fifth set. In the SEC, we're going to play matches like that every weekend, and you make your season out of finding a way to win those type of matches." -- Coach Rackham
On Danielle Mahaffey in the six-rotation role:
"I'm proud of Danielle because we've asked her to do a lot. We've asked her to switch positions. We've asked her to play six rotations. We've asked her to do things she hasn't done since she was in high school. She's taken it all in stride and given us really positive performances. She came up huge with a block at the end and I'm just I'm happy for her because that kid works really hard."-- Coach Rackham
From Lily Felts:
On playing in Thompson-Boling Arena on Sunday:
"It was great to play in front of our home crowd. It gives us a huge advantage to play at home because our crowd is great cheering behind us. It was great to come home and play, because it gave us an opportunity to make a statement after that tough loss on Friday." – Sophomore Lily Felts
On her strong offense performance:
"I was in a good rhythm because my setter kept putting me in really good situations. She knew when I would have the best opportunities to tool off the hands or get a kill down in the seam. I really have to give credit to my passers, defenders and my setter for putting me in good situations." – Sophomore Lily Felts
On carrying this momentum into next weekend:
"This gives us a lot of momentum because that's a big confidence booster to win against a really good team. It was a very competitive match and they are a very skilled team. It gives us a lot of momentum going into next weekend and hopefully we can get another one." – Sophomore Lily Felts
Standout Stat
- In the first 20 home matches under head coach Eve Rackham, Tennessee holds an 18-2 mark in Thompson-Boling Arena including a 9-1 mark in conference play. Both losses have come to top-20 ranked opponents in No. 6 Illinois (Aug. 30, 2019) and No. 20 Kentucky (Sept. 23, 2018).
- After not having any career double doubles entering the weekend, sophomore Danielle Mahaffey recorded her second of the year on Sunday. She finished the match with 15 kills and 15 digs in the six-rotation outside hitter role.
- Sedona Hansen notched her sixth double double of the season and the 53rd in her career. She now needs just nine double dobules to tie the Tennessee all-time mark held by Julie Kntych (62, 2002-2005).
- Tennessee won the match despite having fewer points (84.0 to 77.0), fewer kills (64 to 61), fewer digs (81 to 76), fewer blocks (14 to 13), fewer aces (6 to 3) and a lower hitting percentage (.211 to .170).
The Lady Vols are back on the road on Friday night when they travel to Athens, Georgia for a matchup against Georgia. Last season, Tennessee defeated the Bulldogs in five sets.
First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. (ET) at Stegeman Coliseum. The match will also air on SEC Network+.
Team Stats
TA&M
UT
Kills
64
61
Errors
27
30
Attempts
175
182
Hitting %
.211
.170
Points
84.0
77.0
Assists
50
57
Aces
6
3
Blocks
14.0
13.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
18
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
15
Aces
1
Blocks
5
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
4
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
7
Players Mentioned
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