Kentuckys Kristen Batt posted career-highs with 27 kills and 26 digs,but that was not enough as the Georgia Bulldogs left Memorial ColiseumSunday afternoon with a hard-fought 3-2 come-from-behind victory.
UK (4-14, 2-5 SEC) looked impressive for the first two gamesrecording 24 kills and a .321 hitting percentage in game one and 19 killsand a match-high .333 clip in game two. However, the Cats could notcarry the momentum generated in the first two games and dropped thenext three.
“We made too many mistakes in games three through five,” saidcoach Jona Braden. “We did not adjust to what Georgias offense wasdoing and we did not respond to the situation.”
After Georgia took the opening point of game one, UK ran off the nexteight to take and early 8-1 advantage. The Cats offense then stalled andUGA fought its way back into the match, cutting the deficit to two at10-8. After a series of side-outs, UK regrouped and took five of the nexteight points to capture game one 15-11, and a 1-0 lead in the match.
Megan Weiskircher sparkled for the Big Blue posting eight kills on 10attacks for a .700 hitting percentage. Aleisha Craven recorded six digsand the Cats hit .321 for game one.
Game two was never in doubt as UK sprinted out to a 12-3 lead enroute to winning 15-5. Kristen Batt led the charge for the Cats withseven kills on eight attempts in addition to posting a game-high six digs.
The Cats did not commit a service error in game two and scorchedthe nets for a match-high .333 hitting percentage. Choosing not to throw in the towel, UGA responded in game three.
With the game tied at six, Georgia ran off the next four points to take a10-6 lead and force UK to call a timeout. The Cats countered taking fourof the next six points and cutting the Lady Bulldogs lead to 12-10.
However, that would be as close at UK would get, as the Big Blue couldnot contain UGAs Stacy Buerger who dominated play with 10 kills.
Georgia took game three 15-11 and cut UKs lead to 2-1.
Energized by their victory in the previous game, the Lady Bulldogsseized the momentum in game four. With the score tied at three, UGAscored 10 unanswered points and jumped out to a 13-3 advantage. TheCats mounted a serious comeback attempt, but eventually fell shortlosing 15-10 and being forced to a deciding fifth game.
The game four marathon was highlighted by the play of UKs Batt andUGAs Buerger. Both players posted 10 kills, Batt on 28 attacks andBuerger on 23.
The deciding game was played in rally scoring. The teams split thefirst two points before the Lady Bulldogs could pull out to an 11-7 lead.
UKs never say die attitude would not allow the team to fold as the Catsclawed back to tie the score at 12 apiece. Georgias Jessica Leverettewas then issued a red card due to unsportsmanlike conduct, resulting ina point for Kentucky and giving the Big Blue a 13-12 lead. However, theCats could not close out the match and Georgia took the next threepoints to win the game 15-13 and complete its comeback 3-2.
UK team members were disappointed with the loss.
“We are really disappointed we didnt win, especially after being up2-0,” said Kristen Batt. “We won the first two games relatively easy andlost our focus in games three through five and its cost us the match.”
Three Cats recorded double-doubles in the match. Kristen Battrecorded her third double-double of the season reaching career-highswith 27 kills and 26 digs. Megan Weiskircher posted her sixthdouble-double with 18 kills and 15 digs and Whitney Samplesseason-high 68 assists and 11 digs were good enough for her seconddouble-double this season.
April Barnhorst continued her steady play with 11 kills and fourblocks. Sissy Canfield recorded her first double-digit and career-high killperformance with 11. Canfield also dominated net play for the Cats withsix blocks.
Six UK players reached double-figures in kills: Batt with 26, Canfield,Weiskircher and Candace Cogan with 15 each, Brooke Dodson with 12and Whitney Sample with 11.
Most of Georgias offense was supplied by outside hitter StacyBuerger. The junior tallied a game-high 33 kills and 15 digs. In additionto Buerger, three other Lady Bulldogs reached double-figures in kills:Erin Gornes with 17, Luresa Forsythe with 16 and Jessica Leverette with14.
Five UGA players recorded double-figures in digs, led by IskraPerezs 24.
UKs next match will be on Friday, October 20 when the team travelsto Auburn for a match-up with the Tigers. The match is scheduled for 8p.m. at the Student Activities Center.
