No. 24 Lady Vols’ Rally Falls Just Short, Falling in Five to Mississippi State

Sunday, November 14

Starkville, MS

2 PM

University of Tennessee

17-8,9-6SEC

Mississippi State

22-5,13-2SEC

Tennessee

Mississippi St.

No. 24 Lady Vols’ Rally Falls Just Short, Falling in Five to Mississippi State

November 14, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score

STARKVILLE, Miss. – After falling behind two-sets-to-none, the 24th-ranked Lady Vols rallied to force a fifth-and-final-set against Mississippi State Sunday afternoon at Newell-Grissom Building, but the rally fell short as the Bulldogs edged out the Lady Vols in five (18-25, 23-25, 28-26, 25-15, 15-17).

Tennessee (17-8, 9-6 SEC) set a season-high with 93 digs and equaled its season-best in kills and assists, tallying 68 kills and 64 assists. With the win, Mississippi State (22-5, 13-2 SEC) extends its winning streak to 10 straight matches.

Three Lady Vols finished the match in double-figures in kills. Morgahn Fingall put down a season-high 22 – just one kill shy of tying her career-high. Breana Runnels finished with 13 kills and Lily Felts tallied 12.

Nicole Shanahan played well off the bench for UT, posting seven kills and two blocks.

Danielle Mahaffey tallied eight blocks Sunday to lead the team.

MSU also had three players finish the match with double-figure kill totals. Shania Cromartie led the way at 16, while Gabby Waden finished with 15 and Lauren Myrick with 13.

The Bulldogs' service pressure made the difference as State scored 10 service aces. The Lady Vols were unable to get an ace on MSU.

MSU won the opening set 25-18 on the strength of a .324 hitting percentage. Shania Cromartie paced Mississippi State with four kills, while four Bulldogs all logged two kills apiece. Tennessee struggled to find its rhythm, hitting just .029.

The second set was tighter as Tennessee and Mississippi State battled back-and-forth. Fingall led the charge with seven kills on 19 attempts, while Felts put away two kills and five Lady Vols tallied one kill.

Mississippi State just edged UT in the second, 25-23, as six Bulldogs notched two-plus kills. Errors plagued Tennessee in the second, as it committed 11 total.

The Lady Vols fought off match-point twice in the third set before winning 28-26 to extend the match into a fourth set. Runnels scored a team-leading five kills in the set, with Fingall and Felts posting four each.

Tennessee put up five blocks in the set, led by Mahaffey with three assisted blocks.

The Lady Vols put the hammer down in the fourth set as they won 25-15 to force a fifth and deciding set. UT hit .414 in the fourth as Felts and Runnels put down five kills to lead the Orange & White. Mahaffey again led the team in blocks in the set as she posted three.

UT fought off match point twice in the fifth set, but back-to-back kills from Cromartie and Jessica Kemp sealed the match for MSU as it won, 17-15. Fingall notched five kills in the set, but the Bulldog service pressure kept up as they notched two service aces in the final frame.

TENNESSEE STAT LEADERS

Kills – Morgahn Fingall (22)
Assists – Natalie Hayward (50)
Digs – Natalie Hayward (21)
Blocks – Danielle Mahaffey (8)

UP NEXT
Tennessee is back home Thursday and Friday for its final home series of the season as it plays host to Alabama. The Lady Vols will welcome home their LVFLs for alumni night Thursday before honoring the 2021 senior class on Friday.