Link to Article on The Red & Black
Olivia Sayer
Georgia outside hitter Kacie Evans (23) during Georgia’s match against Ole Miss at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. (Tony Walsh/UGA Athletics)
Georgia volleyball fell 3-1 to No. 24 Auburn in Neville Arena Sunday afternoon.
It was a night to remember for graduate Kacie Evans, as she recorded her 1,000th career dig. Her 1,549 career kills and 1,000 digs earned her a spot in Georgia’s Double Grand Club. She becomes just the 15th player to join the esteemed group.
Evans led the offense, as she hit .367 on the outside with 16 kills. Senior Sophie Fischer contributed with 12 kills, four digs and two blocks.
The underclassmen also put up an impressive performance offensively, with freshman Ceci Gooch and sophomores Estelle Haugen and Tori Harper earning 8, 8 and 7 kills, respectively.
In the first set, Auburn steadily built a lead, forcing the Bulldogs to call a timeout down 14-10. Trailing 22-18, four straight Georgia kills and back-to-back kills by Evans later knotted the set at 22. Despite a hard fought effort by Georgia, the Tigers calmed the rally and took the set 25-23.
Looking to bounce back, Georgia quickly established its presence in the second set behind an ace by redshirt-freshman Ana Julia Bleeker. After both teams took turns going on impressive runs, the score was tied at 14. Back-to-back kills by Fischer gave the Bulldogs the lead 19-18, but Auburn quickly provided the equalizer. With the set tied at 21, Auburn seized the lead, and eventually won the set 25-23.
Going into the third set, Georgia’s back was against the wall— it was a win or go home scenario. Tied at eight, a 5-0 run by the Bulldogs put them up 13-8. A 6-1 run by Georgia later strengthened the lead 20-12. Despite the Tigers cutting the lead to four at one point, Georgia earned the victory 25-18.
The beginning of set four was close, with neither team able to overpower the other. Knotted at four, Auburn started establishing momentum and got out to a 14-9 lead. A few attack errors by the Bulldogs allowed the Tigers to go up 20-15. Not ready to surrender the match, however, Georgia won three straight points and trimmed the Auburn lead to two. Following a timeout, a block by Haugen and Gooch made it a one-point game. Despite the last ditch effort by the Bulldogs, Auburn went on a 5-1 run, winning the set 25-20 and the match 3-1.
The loss dropped Georgia to 9-6 on the season and 0-3 in conference play, with all three conference losses being against ranked teams.
Georgia looked to get back on track as it traveled to Starkville to take on Mississippi State in a ‘battle of the Bulldogs’ on Oct. 6.