University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
20-10,11-7SEC
Ohio State
27-5,15-5Big Ten
Lady Vols Battle No. 9-Seed Ohio State to Four Sets, Fall 3-1
December 04, 2021 | Volleyball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2021 Tennessee volleyball team's season came to a close Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament as it fell in four sets (18-25, 25-14, 21-25, 21-25) to No. 9-seed Ohio State at the Covelli Center.
With a 20-10 record, the 2021 Lady Vols secured the program's 24th 20-win season and 16th NCAA Tournament appearance. It is the second 20-win season under head coach Eve Rackham Watt and the second NCAA trip during her tenure.
UT was led by Breana Runnels, Morgahn Fingall and Lily Felts as the trio of attackers put away double-digit kills in the match. Runnels tallied a match-high 16 kills, posted five blocks and finished with seven digs.
Fingall hit .333 on the night with 13 kills, seven digs and a team-leading six blocks. The junior right side finishes the season with 20 double-digit kill outings and a career-high 338 kills.
Putting away 11 kills and notching her 1,000th career kill during the third set, Felts finishes her Tennessee career with 1,004 kills and becomes the 22nd player in program history to reach the 1,000 kill milestone.
Felts finished the match with three assists, one service ace, four digs and a block.
An early lead in the first set helped OSU take a 25-18 win despite a .138 hitting percentage and five blocks by the Lady Vols. A trio of UT errors contributed to the 5-0 lead Ohio State jumped out to and never relinquished.
Tennessee responded in a big way in the second set, winning 25-14, and hitting .550 en route to evening up the match at 1-1. UT scored four service aces in the frame, put down 13 kills and posted a pair of blocks. The set turned on a 6-0 run by UT, which featured a pair of kills by Felts and a service ace from the Knoxville native.
A late 4-1 run by the Buckeyes helped OSU edge the Lady Vols in the third set, 25-21. The Orange & White drew to within one point at 21-20, OSU, after a kill from Runnels and an attack error by the Buckeyes.
A quick timeout from Ohio State stifled the momentum as it closed the set on the 4-1 run. The Buckeyes hit .323 in the frame and held UT to just a .200 hitting percentage.
Ohio State closed out the match with a 25-21 fourth set win. Errors made the difference in the set as UT committed 11 to OSU's eight.
TENNESSEE STAT LEADERS
Kills – Breana Runnels (16)
Assists – Natalie Hayward (36)
Digs – Paola Laborda (11)
Blocks – Morgahn Fingall (6)
