Dogs’ volleyball faces tough challenge tonight
It will be a rather exhausting hump day for the Georgia volleyball team.
For the first time in over a month, the Bulldogs (13-9, 4-7 SEC) will play a midweek match to cap off a five-game homestand before heading to Baton Rouge, La., to take on the 20th-ranked LSU Tigers on Friday.
Before hitting the road on Thursday, Georgia will have to face the Auburn Tigers (14-8, 6-5 SEC) tonight at the Ramsey Student Center to wrap up a roller coaster home stand that has seen the Bulldogs split the first four games.
UGA VS AUBURN
When: 7 tonight
Where: Ramsey Center
Price: Free
Trying to end the current homestand on a winning note will be difficult as the Tigers come into Athens on a three-match winning streak.
The Bulldogs went 2-0 against Auburn last season and according to head coach Joel McCartney, the Bulldogs will have the confidence to do so again as long as they keep their heads on straight.
“We feel really good about coming off a weekend with two wins,” McCartney said. “We defended our home court well . we were really playing our best volleyball and leaving it out on the court.”
Coming off an impressive weekend that saw Georgia defeat two western division opponents, the Bulldogs confidence is starting to grow and McCartney is pleased to see his players step up.
“Simone [May] has really regained her confidence, and she’s stepped up and the chemistry she’s providing on the floor in our system has been the difference in her being able to get back on the floor,” McCartney said.
One player in particular who was instrumental in the team’s two previous victories is sophomore middle hitter Ann Dylla, who was named the SEC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week.
“I don’t think how hard we’ve been working has really shown in our record so far and I think it’s finally nice to get some credit for how hard we’ve been working,” Dylla said.
Over the weekend, Dylla posted 21 kills on a .425 hitting percentage and also led Georgia with 15 blocks to become the first Bulldog to earn the honor since Maria Taylor did so exactly one year ago.
The Bulldogs take the court tonight with first serve set for 7.
