Alabama
Georgia
Volleyball Defeats Georgia, 3-1, in SEC Opener
9/24/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
ATHENS, Ga. - Alabama Volleyball impressed in its conference debut on the SEC Network, downing the Georgia Bulldogs in four sets for the Crimson Tide's eighth-straight victory.
Alabama (13-2, 1-0 SEC) and Georgia (8-5, 0-1 SEC) played a very even match, with some late points in the third and fourth sets ultimately making the difference for the Crimson Tide. Krystal Rivers led the offense with 22 kills, adding 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the season. Kat Hutson also earned double-digit kills with 14, while Sierra Wilson paced the offense with 52 assists. Leah Lawrence stuffed a team-leading five blocks at the net and Natalie Murison handled 14 digs in the back row.
The Tide charged ahead to an early lead at the halfway point of set one, 13-9, as the Bulldogs took a timeout. Alabama continued to extend the lead, holding a seven-point lead as Georgia burned its final timeout down 19-12. The Bulldogs threatened late, drawing within two down 20-18, but Alabama closed the set out with a 5-1 run to win, 25-19.
Tied at 10-10 in set two, Alabama used a 6-1 run to take a five-point lead, 16-11. Georgia eventually fought back to tie the match back up at 21-21. The two teams battled back and forth in the closing points, with Alabama reaching set point first, 24-23. Georgia would tie it up and reach set point twice before Alabama took its final timeout. The Bulldogs would reach set point a third time, 27-26, and a block would end it to give Georgia the 28-26 set victory and even the match at 1-1.
Set three was another tight affair, as the score was tied seven times before a kill by Hutson gave Alabama a 15-14 lead at the media timeout. A service ace by Lawrence later gave Alabama a two-point lead, 20-18, as Georgia took its first timeout. Alabama held the two-point lead later, 22-20, as Georgia burned its final timeout and closed out the set with a 3-1 run to win, 25-21, and take a 2-1 match lead.
Set four played out nearly identically to the third set, as Alabama again held a one-point lead at the media timeout, 15-14. Alabama started to pull away at that point, using a 7-5 run to move ahead 22-19 as Georgia used both its timeouts during the run. The Tide would reach match point, 24-22, but a Georgia kill brought the home team within one as Alabama took a timeout. A kill by Hutson sealed it as the Tide narrowly edged out the Bulldogs, 25-23, to take the 3-1 match victory.
On Sunday, Sept. 28, Alabama returns home to Foster Auditorium to host the LSU Tigers (5-4) for a 1 p.m. CT match.
