TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Georgia volleyball team fell to Alabama, 3-0, in its Southeastern Conference opener at the Coleman Auxiliary Volleyball Extension on Friday night.

Alabama (3-8, 1-0 SEC) and Georgia (8-3, 0-1 SEC) went into overtime play in the first set before the Crimson Tide got the edge at 29-27. Alabama carried the momentum of that first set win into the next two frames taking set two, 25-14, and set three, 25-15.

“We are just so disappointed with tonight’s match,” Georgia head coach Joel McCartney said. “We really had things working and started off well in the first set. We were getting action out of the right and left pins with all of our outside hitters. Briana Bahr, Erika Clark and Simone May were producing for us, but we couldn’t get anything working in the middle and that put a lot pressure on our system. Even so, we were still genuinely playing good Georgia volleyball and were in systems most of the time. There were just a couple of spots where we got tight and jittery and fell out of systems, but we were battling and made the first set as close as we could.”

The Crimson Tide finished with match with a .377 hitting percentage behind Ashley Frazier and Alyssa Meuth. Frazier finished with a double-double with a match-best 15 kills to go along with 11 digs while Meuth added 13 kills on a .500 clip.

Georgia was led in the match by junior outside hitters Erika Clark and Simone May. Clark tallied eight kills and 12 digs while May provided a team-best nine kills. Redshirt freshman Briana Bahr contributed five kills.

Up next, Georgia will conclude a five-match road swing against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Sunday in Starkville. First serve is schedule for 2:30 p.m.

- Georgia Sports Communications