#17 Lady Vols Roll in Sweep Against #25 UCLA

Thursday, September 5

Knoxville

7 pm

University of Tennessee

1-2,0-0SEC

#25 UCLA

2-1,0-0Big Ten

UCLA

Tennessee

September 05, 2024 | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score Photo Gallery

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Junior outside hitter Hayden Kubik enjoyed a career day, as the 17th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols cruised to a 3-0 (25-15, 26-24, 27-25) sweep against No. 25 UCLA at Food City Center.

The ranked win marked the eighth top-25 victory at home during the Eve Rackham Watt era, and it came in front of the second-largest crowd in program history at 3,702. The previous record was set in the season opener against Penn State last Friday night.

Kubik led the way for the Big Orange (1-2), recording the first double-double of her career, while also earning personal best marks in kills (12) and digs (13). She wasn't the only Lady Vol to have a successful night offensively, as graduate student outside Nina Cajic had a match-high 14 kills on .324 hitting and eight digs, while freshman right side Paityn Chapman added 11 kills and five digs.

Tennessee enjoyed a strong night on the defensive end as well, tallying 54 digs and nine blocks. Three Lady Vols recorded multiple blocks, with junior middle blocker Keondreya Granberry and redshirt sophomore setter Caroline Kerr both posting three. Granberry recorded five kills as well, while Kerr netted 38 assists, eight digs, two kills and an ace on the night. Senior libero Abby Ekeler recorded 11 digs on the back row, and redshirt freshman outside Eryn Jones chipped in six of her own.

For the match, the Big Orange led in all categories with 47 kills, 44 assists, 54 digs, nine blocks and five aces. The team also hit .324 on the night, while holding the Bruins (2-1) to .233 hitting.

The first set was all Lady Vols, who recorded 13 kills, three aces and three blocks to win the frame, 25-15. UT jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead to open the match and never looked back from there. Chapman had three of the first five points and would finish the period with six kills and an ace to fuel the offense.

The second set was a battle, but Tennessee never trailed for the second consecutive frame. The Lady Vols were led by the attacking trio of Cajic, Chapman and Kubik, who each had eight kills for the match by the end of the set. Kubik paced the offense as all eight of her kills came in the second set, and she hit .615 for the frame.

UCLA had the hot hand to begin the third frame, scoring five of the first six points to take its first lead in a set for the match. The Lady Vols fought back to even the contest up, and from there, it was a back-and-forth affair until the Big Orange rattled off three straight points to win the set, 27-25. UT had five blocks in the frame, while Cajic added six more kills to fuel the offense. Kubik capped off her career day with four kills and four digs down the stretch.

Tennessee is back in action tomorrow evening at 6:30 against LIU, the reigning Northeast Conference champions, at Food City Center. That contest will be streamed on SEC Network+.