The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
25-4,17-1Big 12
#11 Tennessee
26-5,15-3SEC
No. 5 Volleyball outlasts Tennessee in NCAA Regional Semifinal
12.08.2023 | Volleyball
PALO ALTO, Calif. – No. 5 Texas Volleyball won an absolute thriller in the five-set match against No. 11 Tennessee at the NCAA Sweet 16 on Thursday at Maples Pavilion.
The Longhorns (25-4) advance to the NCAA Elite 8 for the 17th time in the last 18 seasons. Texas waits to learn who they will face between No. 18 Arizona State and No. 2 Stanford.
Texas was led by Madisen Skinner's career-high 26 kills and Asjia O'Neals match-high eight blocks. The Longhorns finished the match hitting .262 and recorded 64 kills and held Tennessee to a .235 hitting percentage with 13 team blocks.
Early in the first set, the teams were tied seven times before Texas started pulling away with a 14-11 lead and finished the set hitting .346. Skinner led the Horns with six kills off nine attacks, hitting .556 while the team totaled seven team blocks and won the opening set, 25-19.
Tennessee later evened the match at 1 capitalizing on seven Texas service errors. Skinner added five kills along with her first ace of the match, but the Volunteers broke out with a 23-18 lead and took the set, 25-20.
Texas got out to an early 7-3 lead, but the Vols later went on a five-point run to take an 11-10 lead. Both teams were held below a .160 attack percentage. Tennessee ultimately claimed the 2-1 lead with a 25-23 set win.
The Longhorns staved off the match point in the fourth at 24-23 before going on a three-point rally to even the match at 2 by two kills from Skinner and the set point by Ella Swindle. Swindle ended the match with 40 assists, 10 digs and four blocks.
Texas jumped out to a 14-10 point lead in the fifth before Tennessee came back to even the score at 14. O'Neal's 10th and final kill put Texas ahead before completing the comeback with a 16-14 set win.
