VB Weekend Preview: #10 Lady Vols Host A Pair of Top-25 Foes

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – It's a busy weekend on Rocky Top, and that includes two top-25 matchups for the 10th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols, as they host No. 22 Auburn and No. 23 Kentucky at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.

Let's pack Food City Center!

Use your Texas A&M football ticket to gain complimentary admission to both of No. 10 @Vol_VBall's matches this weekend 🏐 pic.twitter.com/0hrb41F2OY
— Tennessee Athletics (@Vol_Sports) October 12, 2023

For fans who have tickets to Saturday's football game between Tennessee and Texas A&M, you can use your tickets to get into both matches for free this weekend. All you need to do is go to the ticket window at Food City Center, show them your football ticket, and you will receive a complimentary ticket to the match. With Sunday's match, the ticket may disappear from your wallet, so fans will need to go to "expired passes" within the Apple or Android wallet and click on expired passes to be able to pull up the football ticket.

For fans planning to attend, note that Tennessee's clear-bag policy will be in effect again this season. All fans should enter through Gate B.

The Big Orange (15-1, 6-0 SEC) kickoff the weekend by taking on the Tigers on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. The match will be streamed on SEC Network+. UT will then face the Wildcats for the second time this season with a 5 p.m. first serve on Sunday. That contest will be televised on SEC Network.

Enjoying one of the best seasons in program history, UT achieved a major milestone Monday, cracking into the top 10 of the AVCA rankings at No. 10 in the country.

The last time the Big Orange accomplished that feat was in the final poll of the 2005 campaign, which saw the Lady Vols finish sixth overall following a Final Four run. The Big Orange currently boasts a 15-1 record—its best start since beginning 18-1 in 2004. The Lady Vols are a perfect 6-0 in conference play so far, with the program's best start ever in league play being 8-0 in 2004 and 2011.

UT's dominance has been on full display through the midway point of the season, sweeping foes in 12 of their 15 victories, including five against SEC opponents and two against ranked teams. Tennessee is riding a 10-match winning streak, losing just two sets during the run. The Big Orange has won 28 of its last 29 sets played.

TICKETING PROCEDURE
Tickets to all Tennessee Athletics events are 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!

BIG ORANGE ATTACK AMONG NATION'S ELITE GROUPS
Tennessee's attack has been stellar this season, and it's the primary reason for the Lady Vols opening the year 15-1. UT currently leads the NCAA in kills per set with 14.89 while ranking third in hitting percentage (.318) and assists per set (13.64). During the current 10-match win streak, the Lady Vols are averaging 15.63 kills per set and 14.31 assists per set.

FINGALL CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARD
During Tennessee's win at Mississippi State, right side Morgahn Fingall surpassed Sonja Thomas to move into 10th all time on UT's career kills list. Fingall now boasts 1,392 career kills and is two away from ninth.

LADY VOLS CRACK TOP 10
For the first time since 2005, Tennessee is ranked inside the top 10 in the AVCA polls. Checking in at No. 10 in the country, UT boasts its highest ranking since being sixth following the program's Final Four run in 2005.

LADY VOLS IN THE SEC WEEKLY HONORS
Tennessee's play this season hasn't gone unrecognized. With many impressive outings from the Lady Vols, the SEC has honored UT players a combined 13 times in seven weeks. Here's the breakdown of each honor won:

4x Freshman of the Week
3x Player of the Week
2x Offensive Player of the Week
2x Defensive Player of the Week
2x Setter of the Week

On Monday, one Tennessee player earned conference honors after sweeps against Alabama and LSU.

BREAK OUT THE BROOMS
So far this year, the Lady Vols boast 12 sweeps in just 16 matches. Over the last three seasons, UT has swept 36 opponents, including 24 at home. The Big Orange has swept eight of its last nine opponents and went on a streak of 18 straight set wins between Loyola (4th set) and Mississippi State (2nd set). Tennessee has won 28 of its last 29 sets.

SIDEOUT SUCCESS KEY FACTOR FOR UT EACH MATCH
One element of Tennessee's impressive season that hasn't been touched on much has been the Big Orange winning the battle on sideouts. The Lady Vols are scoring 69 percent of the time when opponents serve, while scoring on 49 percent of the time when UT serves. Tennessee has recorded a sideout percentage of 70 percent or better in 30 sets this year, while holding foes to a sideout percentage of less than 50 percent in 23 sets.

DON'T LET 'EM GET HOT
Winning the first set is crucial to winning the match, and the Lady Vols are 14-0 when taking the opening frame this year. If you don't get UT in the first set, good luck, because it doesn't get easier. In the second and third sets, respectively, Tennessee is outscoring opponents 398-285 (+113 points) and 389-273 (+116 points). That's compared to 367-392-295 (+97 points) in the first frame.