University of Tennessee Athletics
Jimenez Leads Volleyball to Comeback Win
August 28, 2015 | Volleyball
TOWSON, Md. -- Led by sophomore Kanisha Jimenez' career night, Tennessee rallied in the final two sets Friday to beat Towson 3-2 (20-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-15, 15-13).
"What a great match in a hostile environment," Tennessee head coach Rob Patrick said. "I was very proud of this new team ... to be able to gut out a great win against a very very talented Towson squad. I was very excited about the level of intensity that we played with."
Playing against three of her childhood friends from Puerto Rico, Jimenez recorded a career-high 22 kills to go along with 19 digs, her first double-double of the year. She played the right side the first three sets but moved to the outside hitter position for the final two, providing key kills late in sets for the Vols the whole evening.
"She really had a career game, and we needed it from her," Patrick said. "She stepped up her game in every facet. She was very efficient in hitting and took some big, big swings when the game was on the line."
Senior setter Lexi Dempsey also recorded a double-double with 50 assists to go along with 13 digs.
Tennessee is off to a 2-0 start to the season after defeating Delaware State 3-0 in the afternoon match.
The deciding fifth set went back and forth. Tennessee tied the match 12-12 on a ball-handling error by Towson, and then Jimenez reeled off back-to-back kills to give the Vols match points at 14-12.
Towson staved off one match point but not the second. Haley Pa'akaula hit the ball long as Tennessee clinched the set and match 15-13.
The Vols play two more matches Saturday at SECU Arena. They face Coppin State at 10 a.m. and Saint Francis (Pa.) at 2:30 p.m.
Towson took a 3-0 lead to start the match and never trailed in the opening set. The Tigers led by as many as eight points, but Tennessee eventually cut the lead to 20-18. Towson regained momentum, winning five of the final seven points to take the first set 25-20.
In the second set, a seven-point swing by the Vols at the midway point spelled the difference. During the stretch, Jimenez had two kills and Towson committed four errors, and Tennessee took a 16-12 lead. Bawcombe eventually put away a clean winner to give the Vols the second set 25-18 heading into the break.
The Vols and Tigers were neck-and-neck for most of the third set. Tennessee closed Towson's lead to one point late -- at 19-18 and then 22-21 -- but the Tigers won the last three points to take the set 25-21.
Another 7-0 run proved critical in the fourth. The Vols closed out the set on that run to take the set 25-15 and force a deciding set.
