By Corinne Muth
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 22 Tennessee is 11-1 and continues to dominate the court with five consecutive sweeps, most recently against South Carolina in a solid showing for the Lady Vols.
Against the Gamecocks, Hayden Kubik led the offense with 15 kills, and Caroline Kerr had 29 assists to command plays. Tennessee offense hit .303 with Kubik portraying her diverse attacks. Zoe Humphrey had eight blocks, and Gulce Guctekin racked up 16 digs to close the defense.
The Lady Vols fought hard against South Carolina. In the first set, South Carolina took the lead 4-2, and the rest of the set wasn’t much different, with both teams going point for point until Tennessee tied it at four. Smart plays from Chelsea Sutton, Star Williams, and Caroline Kerr allowed the Vols to get ahead in the set and close it out 25-23.
Offensively, throughout the second set, the Lady Vols did not hold back. Keeping their foot on the gas was a key component in the second set. Sutton and Kubik are ramping up the blocking and attacking to set the pace for the set. South Carolina didn’t lead once in the second set due to the strong Tennessee offense.
“This team believes in themselves, and they believe in each other,” said coach Eve Rackham Watt.
Looking ahead, the Lady Vols will be away from Rocky Top for the next three matches. They will face LSU, Texas, and Ole Miss on the road. The team will then come back to Knoxville to play Florida on Oct. 15, 2025.