Senior Morgahn Fingall scored 23 kills Friday night as the Lady Vols defeated Alabama 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 26-24) at Foster Auditorium.
In its final regular season match, Tennessee (17-13, 11-7 SEC) used 45 kills and a .354 hit percentage to sweep the Crimson Tide. With the win, UT has won seven of its final nine matches.
Fingall led the way with her 25th double-digit kill outing – hitting a season-high .656. The right-side attacker added a pair of service aces, four digs and three block assists to her final line.
Erykah Lovett scored nine kills with nine digs, while setter Natalie Hayward kept the offense running with 30 assists. Hayward put down six kills of her own, picked up eight digs and posted one solo block and two assisted.
The Lady Vols were firm at the net as they put up 11 total blocks. Danielle Mahaffey led the squad with two solo stuffs and six assisted. UT's pressure at the net held Alabama to a .215 hitting percentage.
Both teams hit well in the opening set with Tennessee at .419 and Alabama at .306. Fingall guided the Lady Vols to a 25-21 win, scoring six of their 16 kills. Hayward (4) and Lovett (3) followed close behind in kills.
Alabama (10-20, 4-14 SEC) notched 15 kills, led by Sami Jacobs and Alyiah Wells at four apiece.
UT's hot hitting continued in the second as it put down 13 kills on a .300 hit percentage. Fingall powered down 10 kills in the frame, while Tennessee got the block working. Led by Fingall and Mahaffey's three block assists, the Lady Vols won the set, 25-18.
The Orange & White opened the final frame on a 5-0 run, using three consecutive blocks to help build the lead. Fingall again went to work as she tallied seven kills, with Lovett notching four.
Alabama was able to keep pace thanks to seven kills from Jacobs and three aces by Abby Marjama.
Tied at 24-24, Lovett and Fingall scored back-to-back kills to put the Lady Vols over the top and win the third set, 26-24.
Original source can be found here
Alerts Sign-up