Volleyball Preview: Belmont (Exhibition)

Saturday, August 20

Knoxville

3 PM

University of Tennessee

Belmont (Exhibition)

August 19, 2022 | Volleyball

2022 Schedule 2022 Quick Facts

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee volleyball opens the 2022 season Saturday as it plays host to Belmont in an exhibition match at Thompson-Boling Arena. The first serve is set for 3 p.m. ET.

The Lady Vols then head into match week as they prepare to welcome Loyola Chicago, Bowling Green and No. 13 Purdue to TBA for the Tennessee Classic and the first weekend of the regular season.

Admission to the exhibition match is free. For fans planning to attend, note that Tennessee's clear-bag policy will be in effect this season.

THIRD MEETING
Saturday's exhibition will be only the third time UT and Belmont have met on the volleyball court. The Orange and White won both previous matches in three sets, with the most recent meeting coming in 2018.

PICKED THIRD IN THE SEC
Before the season, Tennessee was picked to finish third in the Southeastern Conference as voted on by the league's coaches. It is the highest preseason prediction for UT since being selected to finish third in 2019.

BIG THREE
Tennessee has its own big three returning this season as Morgahn Fingall, Natalie Hayward and Danielle Mahaffey are back for their senior or super senior seasons.

The trio was named to the preseason All-SEC Team earlier in the summer.

Fingall has played in 249 sets during her career, including playing in 105 of UT's 109 sets a season ago. The senior had a breakout 2021 campaign as she compiled 338 kills, averaged 3.22 kills per set and hit at .250. The Fairfax, Virginia, native ranked second on the squad in both kills and kills per set last season.

The right-side attacker was also strong on the defensive end as she was third on the team in blocks with 100. Fingall's 2021 campaign helped her earn AVCA Southeast All-Region honors for the first time in her career.

Using her extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of COVID-19, Natalie Hayward is back after earning All-SEC and AVCA All-Region accolades last season. The setter dished out 1,162 assists and averaged 10.66 assists per set in 2021.

Hayward's assist total was a career-high, while she also achieved career-best marks with 105 kills, a hitting percentage of .394, 296 digs and 81 blocks. Her 10.66 assists per set was a career-high and ranked fourth in the SEC and 31st nationally.

Entering her final season at Tennessee, Hayward is 10th in program history with 1,877 assists.

Mahaffey is also using her extra COVID year and is primed for another strong season at middle blocker. She was tabbed an AVCA and VolleyballMag.com All-American after a stellar 2021 campaign. Last season, Mahaffey registered a career-best 139 blocks and averaged 1.38 blocks per set – setting a 25-point rally-scoring era single-season Tennessee record.

Mahaffey's average ranked second in the SEC and eighth in the nation in 2021. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native also set a career-high with a .380 hitting percentage.

NEW FACES
UT welcomed seven newcomers to the squad over the spring and summer, including three freshmen and four transfers. The freshman are: No. 1 Kadynce Boothe, No. 11 Caroline Kerr and No. 77 Keondreya Granberry.

Transferring into the program: No. 6 Erykah Lovett, No. 9 Abigail Matoso, No. 24 Kylie Robinson and No. 29 Abby Ekeler.

SCOUTING THE BRUINS
Belmont is coming off a 9-20 (7-11 MVC) season in 2021. The Bruins are led by head coach Katelyn Harrison, who is entering her fourth season at the helm in 2022.

UP NEXT
Tennessee opens the regular season Friday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. ET at home against Loyola Chicago.