Alli Stumlers Double Double Starts UKs SEC Play Off with Sweep

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at the University of Mississippi

09/29/2021 | 7 p.m. ET

SEC + network

LEXINGTON, Ky. Alli Stumler had an outstanding performance on both sides of the ball Friday night at Memorial Coliseum as she recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs as the No.7 volleyball team of Kentucky swept Missouri to open the Southeastern Conference Game.

The three sets were tight, with the UK trailing past the midpoint in the three, but managing to pick up the big points late in the frames to take the 3-0 victory (27-25, 25-23, 25-22) the Tigers.

In addition to Stumler’s double-double, junior center blocker Azhani Tealer had 14 kills and three blocks, while hitting a solid 0.571 on the night to lead or co-lead the Wildcats in those three categories. Tealer now has three straight games with double-digit wins dating back to September 15.

Rookie Emma Grome tallied 41 assists on the evening, marking her fourth straight game with more than 40 assists. She led the Kentucky offense to the tune of a .306 winning percentage, marking the second game in a row the UK have reached at over .300.

Madi Skinner had 12 kills on the night on 33 shots with a 0.182 hitting percentage and five digs. She finished the match with a solo block on the left side in the third set, her only block of the evening.

Kentucky will take the rest of the weekend before focusing on Ole Miss on the road. The game against the undefeated Rebels takes place on Wednesday night, September 29 in Oxford at 7 p.m. ET. The SEC + network, ESPN3 and the ESPN app will cover the SEC match.

Set One Kentucky found themselves 19-11 in the first set, and even up to 24-22, faced a pair of set points as the Wildcats struggled to get out of their own way due to service and password errors and difficulties. After rallying to tie the score at 24-24 on an Elise Goetzinger kill, the Wildcats took the lead for the first time on Goetzinger’s second kill in no time. Mizzou called the time out but still couldn’t find a way to stop Goetzinger as a right-side kill ended the set to give the UK four of the last five points and an extended run of 14 -6 to end the set.

Second set The Wildcats trailed behind in the second again, falling to the ground after Missouri ran a 7-0 run and equalized the set-up at 18-18 after two kills, a blocking error and two typing errors in the UK. Kentucky were once again able to linger late and play important points throughout the set, as a 3-0 serve led by Lauren Tharp took a 20-21 lead over Mizzou and turned him into a UK lead 23-21. Azhani Tealer ended the set with a thunderous kill from the right pin to close the frame, 25-23 in favor of Kentucky.

Third set A 4-0 streak in Missouri took a tight third set and created some separation for the first time in the whole picture as the Tigers took a 15-11 lead and the UK burned a dead time. Outside the break, Kentucky responded with two points on their own on a Madi Skinner kill and a Reagan Rutherford / Elise Goetzinger block. After Missouri extended their lead to 19-15, but Kentucky responded well, winning seven straight points, again on serve from Lauren Tharp as the Wildcats won at 22-19. The final point to close the game was a solo block from Madi Skinner to give the UK the 1-0 start in the SEC game.

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