University of Tennessee
1-0,0-0SEC
Loyola Chicago
1-1,0-0Atlantic 10
Fingall’s 24 Kills Powers Lady Vols to Opening Night Win Over Loyola Chicago
August 26, 2022 | Volleyball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Senior Morgahn Fingall put away 24 kills Friday night as she helped lead the Lady Vols to a five-set win (22-25, 25-23, 28-26, 16-25, 15-7) over Loyola Chicago inside Thompson-Boling Arena.
The right-side attacker took a match-high 62 swings in the season opener and added a team-high six blocks to her final stat line.
After dropping the first frame 22-25, the Fairfax, Virginia, native powered UT to a 25-23 second-set victory. Fingall totaled 10 kills in the set and hit an impressive .562 as UT tied up the match at one set apiece.
Tennessee's (1-0) block was in full effect in the third as freshman Keondreya Granberry came off the bench and provided three of the team's six blocks in the set. The middle blocker also scored a pair of kills in the frame.
Granberry finished the night with five total blocks and four kills in her Tennessee debut.
Redshirt junior Emily Merrick also provided a spark for UT in the third as she powered home four of her career-high 13 kills in the set.
Loyola Chicago (1-1) bounced back in the fourth set as it hit .417 as a team en route to a 25-16 win. The set victory for the Ramblers evened the match at 2-2, forcing a fifth and deciding final set.
With an opening night crowd of 1,031 behind them, the Lady Vols raced away with the fifth set, winning 15-7 to clinch the match. Fingall again led the charge as she tallied four kills and hit .375 in the set. Granberry and Merrick both chipped in with a kill and a block.
Four Lady Vols made their Tennessee debut in Friday night's victory. Along with Granberry, freshman Kadynce Boothe made her presence felt on the court as she scored six kills, notched three service aces and posted four blocks in the match.
Sophomore transfer Erykah Lovett fired home 10 kills, while graduate transfer Abigail Matoso was solid from the service line with three aces. Redshirt freshman Emily Beeker played in three sets, finishing with a block.
Redshirt junior Paola Laborda led the backline with 16 digs on the night. Fingall and Lovett finished with double-doubles as they picked up 11 and 10 digs, respectively.
Natalie Hayward posted her 22nd double-double in Orange and White, dishing out 50 assists and gathering 12 digs.
FROM HEAD COACH EVE RACKHAM WATT
On the season-opening win…
"As I told the team, I am excited about the win but I am more excited about what we showed as a team in terms of our resiliency. We were determined to win in the fifth set. When you start a season like that, you get a really good idea of what type of team you have. I was really proud of the effort."
On the performance of Fingall and Granberry...
"We set Morgahn a lot of balls and she definitely came through for us in so many situations. Kiki off the bench was huge. She is still working her way in but was able to come in tonight and really help us.
On Friday night's crowd…
"When we have crowds like tonight's, it is so helpful. The energy they give, they are loud and they are involved. The team was feeding off of it and you can feel the momentum swing with the crowd. They kept us in it and kept us fighting through in the tight moments. Unbelievable crowd, great student section and just an awesome night."
UP NEXT
UT closes out the Tennessee Classic Saturday with a pair of matches beginning at 11 a.m. ET against Bowling Green. The Lady Vols will then battle No. 13 Purdue in the tournament's finale at 6 p.m.
