Volleyball Preview: Rocky Top Classic

Friday, September 9

Knoxville

6:30 PM

University of Tennessee

New Hampshire

Buy Tickets

September 08, 2022 | Volleyball

Tennessee Game Notes Watch (New Hampshire)Watch (Norfolk State)Watch (The Citadel)Live Stats

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee volleyball team is back home Friday and Saturday as it welcomes New Hampshire, Norfolk State and The Citadel to Thompson-Boling Arena for the Rocky Top Classic.

The Lady Vols will play once on Friday against New Hampshire at 6:30 p.m. ET and twice on Saturday, beginning at noon versus Norfolk State and concluding with The Citadel at 6:30 p.m.

For fans planning to attend, note that Tennessee's clear-bag policy will be in effect again this season.

TICKETING PROCEDURE
Starting this fall, tickets to all Tennessee Athletics events will be digital and can be accessed through a mobile device to improve security and reduce the risk of ticket fraud as well as make the process more convenient for fans.

Fans will gain admission into all venues via a unique QR code which will be scanned directly from a mobile device. For quick and easy entry into Tennessee Athletics venues, fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app from the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android).

Digital tickets can be managed via a mobile device or desktop web browser, but a mobile device is required for venue access on matchdays.

Your mobile device is the ticket on gameday. All valid digital tickets will display a moving barcode or a hold near reader (tap-and-go) icon. PLEASE NOTE: SCREENSHOTS OF TICKETS WILL NOT SCAN AT THE GATE AND WILL NOT ALLOW ENTRY!

BROADCAST INFO
UT's three matches this weekend are available to stream on SEC Network+ or through the ESPN App. Michael Wottreng (play-by-play) and Heather Herrington (color) will call the match versus New Hampshire, while Zack Nelson (play-by-play) describes the action for both matches on Saturday.

FIRST TIME
This weekend will mark the first time Tennessee has ever played New Hampshire, Norfolk State and The Citadel in volleyball.

LEADING THE WAY
Senior Morgahn Fingall leads the Lady Vols in kills and kills per set at 98 and 4.08. She is fourth in the SEC in kills per set and ranks 48th nationally. In total kills, the right-side attacker is first in the league and is tied for 18th in the country. She is also fourth in the SEC and 32nd in the nation in points at 107.

LOVIN' IT
Sophomore transfer Erykah Lovett has made an immediate impact on the team since her arrival from Long Beach State. She is second on the team in kills with 68 and averages 2.83 kills/set. At the NC State Classic last weekend, Lovett scored 26 kills, notched two service aces and put up seven total blocks in three matches.

YOUTH MOVEMENT CONTINUES
Freshmen Kadynce Boothe and Keondreya Granberry continued to impact the Lady Vols on the court last weekend. Boothe finished with 24 kills, five service aces and five blocks over the three matches at the NC State Classic. She also notched a career-high 10 kills against NC State.

Granberry was a force offensively for UT in the middle as she capped the weekend in Raleigh with 24 kills on a .422 hitting percentage. The Winter Garden, Florida, native tallied a career-best 14 kills versus Elon and hit a career-high .875 against the Wolfpack.

SCOUTING NEW HAMPSHIRE

2022 Record: 5-3 Overall

Series Record: N/A

Last Meeting: First meeting

Key Player/Stat: UNH enters with the top-ranked attack in the America East Conference, hitting .263 through the first two weeks of the season. The Wildcats also lead their league in opponent hitting percentage at .146. Both marks rank inside the top 50 nationally.

SCOUTING NORFOLK STATE

2022 Record: 0-4 Overall

Series Record: N/A

Last Meeting: First meeting

Key Player/Stat: The Spartans have the fourth-best floor defense in the MEAC as they average 12.50 digs per set. NSU is 0-4 entering the weekend and has lost seven straight matches dating to the end of the 2021 season.

SCOUTING THE CITADEL

2022 Record: 2-4 Overall

Series Record: N/A

Last Meeting: First meeting

Key Player/Stat: The Bulldogs are the final team UT plays this weekend, but they are the first of four consecutive 2021 NCAA Tournament teams Tennessee will face over the next week. The Citadel started the season off with four straight defeats but has won its last two, including a five-set victory over Clemson.

UP NEXT
Tennessee has a quick turnaround as it plays host to No. 21 Western Kentucky on Tuesday, Sept. 13. The match is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. first serve inside Thompson-Boling Arena.