#5 Texas Volleyball will make their 18th consecutive sweet sixteen NCAA Tournament appearance on Thursday versus #11 Tennessee. Both teams start Regional play having hosted first and second rounds in their respective cities. The Volunteers head to Stanford, California, notching the team’s first Regional appearance since 2005, having swept both their opponents, High Point and Western Kentucky. The Longhorns went 3-1 with another SEC Conference team, Texas A&M, followed by a decisive sweep over SMU on the Forty Acres.
Tennessee comes to the court with a 26-4 overall record but the program faced only one Top Ten team versus then #1 Wisconsin earlier this season; however, the Vols were not easily defeated (3-2). #5 Texas is 24-4 with a schedule comprised of Top Ten matches versus then #5 Minnesota (won), #2 Stanford (loss) and #9 BYU (won). Texas and Tennessee haven’t been opposite the court in over 30 years and the Longhorns hold a 10-1 record over the Vols, making Thursday their 12th matchup of all time.
The NCAA ranks the Volunteers #6 in the country for hitting percentage at 0.352 and Texas at #17 at 0.323. The two teams are tied at #9 for blocks per set (3.0). The Vols right side hitter, Morgahn Fingall, leads the team with a season total 433 kills and was recently named AVCA Southeast Region Player of the Year. Fingall wouldn’t be the powerful asset if not for the #3 setter in the country, Caroline Kerr, a freshman who is averaging 13.67 assists per set. The Longhorns boast the #14 hitter in the country and Big 12 Player of the Year, Madisen Skinner, who has earned a total 463 kills translating to an average 12.43 kills per set. On the defensive side of the ball, Texas’ Asjia O’Neal is #4 in the nation for blocks per set.
The winner of the match will advance to play the victor of #1 seeded Stanford and #5 Arizona State. Fans can catch the match at 8PM CST on ESPN2.
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