University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
16-2 (2-1)
Alabama
7-9 (1-1)
Vols Beat Bama with 4th-Set Surge
October 02, 2015 | Volleyball
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Volunteers rallied in the fourth set to close out a 3-1 (25-23, 16-25, 25-16, 28-26) victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide on Friday night at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Trailing 22-18 late in the fourth set, the Vols (16-2, 2-1 SEC) rolled back to tie the match behind the energy of the season-best crowd of 1,302. Alabama (7-9, 1-2) saved two match points but not a third. Senior Lexi Dempsey recorded a block to clinch the set and match at 28-26.
Junior Kanisha Jimenez led the way with a double-double, recording a team-leading 18 kills and 14 digs. Freshman Erica Treiber had nine kills and eight blocks. Dempsey ran the offense with 39 assists.
"That comeback was really spurred on by the team's desire to play hard every point," Tennessee head coach Rob Patrick said. "They never gave up, even when the score was [22-18]. We had some big serving points and big swings."
The Vols were down four points late but reeled off four in a row to tie the match at 22-22 on a block by Treiber and Bri Holmes. Three points later, Treiber and Jimenez set up a match point at 24-23 with another block.
Alabama fought off the match point and manufactured a set point, which Treiber staved off by a clean kill to tie the match at 25-25. The Crimson Tide saved a second match point at 26-25, but the Vols set up a third on a kill by Kendra Turner. Dempsey's solo block finished the match for the Vols.
"The one thing that was incredible was the fans," Patrick said. "They came out and supported us and were so loudduring the last few points in the fourth set when we were coming back. I was so excited for our team having the greatest fans in the world supporting us."
The Vols out-dug Alabama 62-59, with junior libero Bridgette Villano leading the way with 15 digs. Alabama had more kills (53 to 51) and had a slightly higher hitting percentage (.166 to .161) for the match.
Tennessee continues SEC play Sunday on the road, taking on Missouri at 2:30 p.m. Eastern.
The first set was wire close all the way. Trailing by three points, the Vols jumped on a 4-0 run late in the set with a block by Dempsey and Treiber putting Tennessee up 20-19. Treiber gave Tennessee the lead for good two points later for a kill to make it 21-20.
Alabama fought off two set points but not a third. Treiber ended the set with a kill to seal the opening set 25-23 for the Volunteers.
The Vols broke open the second set with a 7-0 run. Villano capped the UT scoring spree with an ace to put Tennessee up 14-8. The Vols led the rest of the way, going ahead by as many as eight points. Tennessee ended the set 25-16 on back-to-back kills by Kendra Turner and Bri Holmes.
Alabama upped its hitting in the third set, boosting its attack percentage to .409 in the frame while holding Tennessee to .000. A 4-0 run early put the Tide up 9-5, and they led from there. Alabama closed the set on a 3-0 run to seal the set 25-16.
