ATHENS, Ga. – After falling in the first two sets, Alabama volleyball rallied for wins in the third and fourth against Georgia to force a deciding fifth set. The Crimson Tide fended off three match points from the Bulldogs before the home team pulled through on their fourth attempt, taking the hard-fought match in five sets.
Alabama (7-14, 1-8 SEC) fell in the first two sets by scores of 19-25 and 22-25 before handing Georgia (14-5, 5-3 SEC) 25-23 and 25-22 decisions in the third and fourth, respectively. The fifth set went past the 15-point mark, ending in the Bulldogs’ favor, 18-16.
Alabama scored three of the first four points in the opening set before Georgia took the lead with three unanswered and remained in front all the way to a 25-19 decision. After five tie scores early in set two, the Bulldogs rattled off seven unanswered to lead 15-10 at the media timeout. The Tide fought back into it, with a kill from Maddy McCormick tying it up late at 22-22. After a Georgia timeout, the home team scored three in a row to win, 25-22, and take a 2-0 match lead.
The third set was another close one to start, with the Bulldogs ahead 15-14 at the media timeout. Alabama scored three in a row out of the break to swing back in front, 17-15, and led until Georgia tied it up late at 22-22. The Tide held on to win, 25-23, and extend the match. Alabama maintained the momentum into the fourth, leading 15-12 at the media timeout and holding on to win by the same margin, 25-22, to force a deciding fifth set. The final frame was another nail-biter, with the Tide ahead 8-6 at the halfway mark. Georgia retook the lead late and reached match point three times before breaking through on the fourth attempt to clinch the match with a 18-16 set win.
Alabama had four players with double-digit kills, led by 15 from Alyiah Wells. The senior also led the team with eight blocks, pushing her over 300 for her Crimson Tide career. Kendyl Reaugh was one of the four with 10+ kills, earning 12 along with 11 digs for her fourth double-double and her second straight. Emily Janek earned her seventh double-double of the season in her eighth appearance, finishing with a season-best 50 assists and a team-leading 15 digs.
Notes
- The match marked the third time this season Alabama has won set three after falling in the first two and its second reverse sweep attempt, previously forcing five sets against Oregon State on Sept. 2
- Alyiah Wells finished the…
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