VOLLEYBALL: Dawgs Split Final Day of Georgia Challenge

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VOLLEYBALL: Dawgs Split Final Day of Georgia Challenge

Georgia’s Caroline Ostman (21) dives for a ball during the Bulldogs’ match against Mercer in the Georgia Challenge at the Ramsey Center in Athens, Ga., on Friday, Sept. 4, 2015. (Photo by John Kelley)
[su_spacer size=”20″] In the final day of the Georgia Challenge, the Georgia volleyball team (4-2) split its decisions, taking a 3-0 win over Mercer (1-5) before falling in the nightcap 3-0 to Georgia Tech (6-1) on Friday.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “They played a more experience game,” said head coach Lizzy Stemke of the Georgia Tech match. “They look like they have played together for a little bit longer, and I thought that they had an excellent game plan that they executed very well. They played a really solid game.”
[su_spacer size=”40″] For the day, Amanda Dachs tabbed team highs with 16 kills and 17 digs while Jasmine Eatmon posted a .429 hitting mark. Georgia’s service aces continue to outnumber its opponents, as the Bulldogs hit 13, led by Cassidy Anderson, Elle McCord and Kendall Kazor with three each.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Opening the day with a sweep of Mercer, the Bulldogs outhit the visitors .293-.139, putting down 37 team kills. Megan Spencer and Desiree McCray led the team with eight kills each. Dachs posted a team-high seven digs followed by McCord’s five to go with two aces.
[su_spacer size=”40″] After winning the first set, Georgia led in the second before Mercer rattled off seven-straight points to take a 22-21 lead. The Bears quickly made it 24-23, but back-to-back Spencer kills and a Mercer attack error gave Georgia the 2-0 lead at the break. In the third, Mercer was within two of Georgia at 18-16, but under the serving arm of Sydney Gilliam, the Bulldogs closed out the match with the last seven points to secure the sweep.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Against the Yellow Jackets, Dachs put up her second double-double of the weekend, notching 10 kills and 10 digs. Kendall Kazor also added a double-double with 27 assists and 10 digs. Anderson tabbed a double-digit dig effort with 13 for the night.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Defense was the name of the game in the first set, as both teams hit below .115. Anderson put up a match-high seven digs in the frame, as Georgia fell 25-22. The Bulldogs led early in the second, but a 6-0 run by GT put the visitors ahead for good in a 25-21 win.
[su_spacer size=”40″] After the break, it was back-and-forth scoring, as a GT error knotted it at 9 each. The Jackets opened it up, setting up match point at 24-15. Georgia held off the point with a fight, going on a six-point rally that included an Anderson ace and kill from Spencer; however, GT closed it out 25-21 to take the sweep.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia closes out the weekend with a match against Syracuse at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 6. After Sunday’s match against the Orange, the team will host its Spike’s Tykes clinic, a free clinic for participants eighth grade and younger. Registration forms and waivers will be available at the match.
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