Box Score
ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Kentucky volleyball team fell to SEC Eastern Division rival Georgia 3-0 (12-15, 12-15, 8-15) Friday night at the Ramsey Center.
UK (4-17, 2-8 SEC) hit .206 for the match, but was unable to contain the UGA (13-9, 5-5 SEC) attack, which resulted in 62 kills for the Lady Bulldogs.
UK took the opening point of the match, but UGA then earned a sideout and won the next four points. Kentucky countered with five unanswered points to take a 6-4 advantage. The teams continued to trade points, with neither being able to gain a sizable lead. With the score knotted at 12, the Lady Bulldogs ran off three consecutive points, highlighted by a game-clinching Jessica Leverette service ace, and emerged victorious in game one 15-12.
April Barnhorst paced the Cats with three kills in the first game. Whitney Sample and Kristen Batt tallied four digs apiece for UK.
Stacey Buerger led the Lady Bulldogs with a game-high nine kills as UGA outhit UK .250 to .176.
UGA jumped out to an 11-1 lead in game two, but UK was determined to make a comeback. The Big Blue rallied to cut their deficit to 8-13 before UGA called for a timeout. The timeout did little to stop Kentucky’s momentum as the Cats clawed to within two points at 11-13. However, UK could not complete the comeback as Georgia regrouped to take two of the game’s final three points to take the second game 15-12 and a 2-0 match lead.
Megan Weiskircher swung for eight kills and Kristen Batt added 6 as UK’s hitting percentage improved to .267 in game two.
The third and final game was never in doubt as Georgia jumped out to an 8-3 lead and never looked back. Kentucky fought hard to stay in the match, but UGA’s early lead proved insurmountable. Georgia took game three 15-8 and completed the sweep.
Once again, the tandem of Kristen Batt and Megan Weiskircher paced UK’s effort. Batt posted 14 kills and seven digs while Weiskircher notched 13 kills and eight digs. Candace Cogan and Liz McCaslin each contributed with eight digs for the Big Blue.
With the victory, UGA swept the season series with UK. Stacy Buerger led the Lady Bulldogs with 23 kills. Iskra Perez recorded a double-double with 41 assists and 12 digs.
