The start of Southeastern Conference play has not been kind to the Ole Miss women’s volleyball team. After posting a 10-3 record in nonconference matches, the Rebels have dropped their first six SEC contests. This weekend they will get two opportunities to post an SEC win, as Tennessee (8-11, 0-5 SEC) and South Carolina (10-8, 2-4 SEC) come to Oxford.
“The kids are playing hard enough,” head coach Joe Getzin said. “They deserve a win, but in the SEC, no one is going to give you any wins. We’ve got to find a way. In practice, they do it pretty well, but that’s what the challenge is. They’re going to have to step up and finish out matches.”
Ole Miss will look to take advantage in the service game this weekend as the Rebels are fourth in the SEC in service aces, while Tennessee and South Carolina have the fewest aces in the SEC. Senior outside hitter Kara Morgan, freshman defensive specialist Kristen Brashear and sophomore defensive specialist Evan St. Laurent all rank in the top 20 in the SEC in aces per set for the Rebels.
The Volunteers and Rebels enter the match as the bottom two teams in the SEC at a combined 0-11 in conference play. Tennessee, which leads the SEC in digs, is led in the back by Ellen Mullins, who averages 6.09 digs per set – the best in the SEC. Ole Miss has lost nine straight matches to Tennessee, with the last Rebel victory coming in 2007.
South Carolina enters the weekend ninth in the SEC standings. Juliette Thevenin leads the SEC in kills with 4.82 per set. Ole Miss has won five of their last six matches against the Gamecocks.
The Rebels have relied on young players all season as six of the nine Rebels that have played at least 60 sets this year are either sophomores or freshmen.
“They’re growing each and every match,” Getzin said. “I’m real positive on this group of kids. They’re working their tails off. They’ve got to learn how to finish and go the whole distance.”
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss women’s volleyball, follow @Tyler_RSR and @thedm_sports on Twitter.
