University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, September 2
Raleigh, NC
4 PM
University of Tennessee
vs
Elon
Volleyball Preview: NC State Classic
September 01, 2022 | Volleyball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee volleyball team hits the road for the second weekend of the season as it heads to Raleigh, North Carolina, for the NC State Classic at James T. Valvano Arena.
The Lady Vols play once on Friday against Elon at 4 p.m. ET and twice on Saturday, starting with Colgate at 11 a.m. before wrapping up the tournament versus NC State at 7 p.m.
BROADCAST INFO
Only UT's match against NC State will be available to stream on ACCNX. Live stats will be provided for all three matches with links appearing on the Tennessee volleyball schedule page.
LAST TIME OUT
Tennessee opened the season at home last weekend, going 1-2 against stiff competition. Senior Morgahn Fingall led the squad with 61 kills and a 4.69 kills per set average over the three matches. Against Loyola Chicago, the Fairfax, Virginia, native set a career-high with 24 kills.
Erykah Lovett also played well last weekend, totaling 42 kills and averaging 3.23 kills per set across three matches. Versus No. 13 Purdue, Lovett tied her career-high in kills with 20.
SEC LEADER
Entering week two, Fingall leads the Southeastern Conference in kills per set at 4.69 and ranks 25th nationally. In total kills, the right-side attacker is tied for ninth in the country. She is also second in the SEC and 17th in the nation in points at 65.5.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Freshmen Kadynce Boothe and Keondreya Granberry made their Tennessee debut last weekend, with each player making an impact.
Boothe finished the weekend with 18 kills, three service aces and eight blocks. She notched a career-high eight kills against Purdue. The outside hitter will return to her home state this weekend as Boothe hails from Kernersville, North Carolina.
Granberry was stout defensively for the Lady Vols last week and enters week two as the team leader in blocks at 13. She also posted 15 kills over the first three matches of the season. She set a career-high in blocks versus Loyola Chicago with five before hitting a career-best .462 and depositing six kills against No. 13 Purdue.
NORTH CAROLINA FLAVOR
Including Boothe, three Lady Vols come from the state of North Carolina. Defensive specialist JaKya Moore is from Knightdale and middle blocker Emily Beeker grew up in Hendersonville. Additionally, head coach Eve Rackham Watt played collegiate volleyball at North Carolina and then spent nine seasons on staff with the Tar Heels before taking charge at UT.
SCOUTING ELON
2022 Record: 1-2 Overall
Series Record: UT leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: 1973 – A 2-0 win for Tennessee
Key Player/Stat: Friday will be just the second meeting ever between Tennessee and Elon on the volleyball court. The Phoenix sit 1-2 on the year with their lone victory coming over VCU in four sets.
SCOUTING COLGATE
2022 Record: 1-2 Overall
Series Record: First meeting
Last Meeting: N/A
Key Player/Stat: Tennessee and Colgate will meet for the first time on Saturday. Since 2001, the Lady Vols are 3-0 against Patriot League teams, with two of those wins being sweeps. The Raiders are also 1-2 in the early going this season, with a 3-0 sweep of UMBC in their last outing.
SCOUTING NC State
2022 Record: 2-1 Overall
Series Record: UT leads, 8-5
Last Meeting: August 28, 2021 – A 3-0 win for Tennessee
Key Player/Stat: Ava Brizard leads the Wolfpack attack as she is averaging 3.55 kills per set entering the season's second weekend. NC State ran with two setters last week, with Naomi Cabello and Kristen McDaniel getting most of the action. Cabello leads the team at 7.57 assists per set, while McDaniel averages 6.88.
UP NEXT
The Lady Vols are back home in Thompson-Boling Arena Sept. 9-10 as they welcome New Hampshire, Norfolk State and The Citadel to Knoxville for the Rocky Top Classic.
The Lady Vols play once on Friday against Elon at 4 p.m. ET and twice on Saturday, starting with Colgate at 11 a.m. before wrapping up the tournament versus NC State at 7 p.m.
BROADCAST INFO
Only UT's match against NC State will be available to stream on ACCNX. Live stats will be provided for all three matches with links appearing on the Tennessee volleyball schedule page.
LAST TIME OUT
Tennessee opened the season at home last weekend, going 1-2 against stiff competition. Senior Morgahn Fingall led the squad with 61 kills and a 4.69 kills per set average over the three matches. Against Loyola Chicago, the Fairfax, Virginia, native set a career-high with 24 kills.
Erykah Lovett also played well last weekend, totaling 42 kills and averaging 3.23 kills per set across three matches. Versus No. 13 Purdue, Lovett tied her career-high in kills with 20.
SEC LEADER
Entering week two, Fingall leads the Southeastern Conference in kills per set at 4.69 and ranks 25th nationally. In total kills, the right-side attacker is tied for ninth in the country. She is also second in the SEC and 17th in the nation in points at 65.5.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Freshmen Kadynce Boothe and Keondreya Granberry made their Tennessee debut last weekend, with each player making an impact.
Boothe finished the weekend with 18 kills, three service aces and eight blocks. She notched a career-high eight kills against Purdue. The outside hitter will return to her home state this weekend as Boothe hails from Kernersville, North Carolina.
Granberry was stout defensively for the Lady Vols last week and enters week two as the team leader in blocks at 13. She also posted 15 kills over the first three matches of the season. She set a career-high in blocks versus Loyola Chicago with five before hitting a career-best .462 and depositing six kills against No. 13 Purdue.
NORTH CAROLINA FLAVOR
Including Boothe, three Lady Vols come from the state of North Carolina. Defensive specialist JaKya Moore is from Knightdale and middle blocker Emily Beeker grew up in Hendersonville. Additionally, head coach Eve Rackham Watt played collegiate volleyball at North Carolina and then spent nine seasons on staff with the Tar Heels before taking charge at UT.
SCOUTING ELON
2022 Record: 1-2 Overall
Series Record: UT leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: 1973 – A 2-0 win for Tennessee
Key Player/Stat: Friday will be just the second meeting ever between Tennessee and Elon on the volleyball court. The Phoenix sit 1-2 on the year with their lone victory coming over VCU in four sets.
SCOUTING COLGATE
2022 Record: 1-2 Overall
Series Record: First meeting
Last Meeting: N/A
Key Player/Stat: Tennessee and Colgate will meet for the first time on Saturday. Since 2001, the Lady Vols are 3-0 against Patriot League teams, with two of those wins being sweeps. The Raiders are also 1-2 in the early going this season, with a 3-0 sweep of UMBC in their last outing.
SCOUTING NC State
2022 Record: 2-1 Overall
Series Record: UT leads, 8-5
Last Meeting: August 28, 2021 – A 3-0 win for Tennessee
Key Player/Stat: Ava Brizard leads the Wolfpack attack as she is averaging 3.55 kills per set entering the season's second weekend. NC State ran with two setters last week, with Naomi Cabello and Kristen McDaniel getting most of the action. Cabello leads the team at 7.57 assists per set, while McDaniel averages 6.88.
UP NEXT
The Lady Vols are back home in Thompson-Boling Arena Sept. 9-10 as they welcome New Hampshire, Norfolk State and The Citadel to Knoxville for the Rocky Top Classic.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
RS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
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