By Ari Patel
While it was dark mode at Food City Center, there was no lack of play from the home team. No. 10 Tennessee dominated Friday night, sweeping Ole Miss 3-0.
In what seemed to be the Kennedi Rogers show, Coastal Carolina transfer Jalyn Stout reminded everyone why she is also a player-of-the-year candidate, quickly catching Rogers. The two combined for 34 kills, more kills than the entire Ole Miss team,
The SMU transfer, however, ran away with 14 kills and tied the school record with seven aces.
“Coach Gavin(Watt) has a lot of confidence in me to make me feel like I can leave every time I go back to the service line,” Rogers said. “So, just self-confidence and confidence for my teammates.”
Rogers paces this offense with 178 kills. The sophomore outside hitter has posted 10 or more kills in all but one match this year. Stout is next with 134 kills and has reached double figures in nine matches this season.
Maggie Dostic, usually part of this attack trio, had only two kills on nine attempts for the night but added a pair of blocks and digs on defense.
Once again, setter Caroline Kerr had an outstanding night, tallying 29 assists, six digs, and a lone kill.
“I think we all just work really well together,” Stout said. “CK (Caroline Kerr), she does the best job you can.”
The Lady Vols’ opening lineup looked a little different as freshman Anni Tang made her second collegiate start, her first in conference play.
“She’s just a player who has continued to get better and really grow even in a better step offensively,” coach Rackham Watt said. “She came to us as a pretty good blocker; I would say that was kind of her natural gift, but just offensively she’s getting better.”
The Australian native opened the match strong, scoring the first point with a kill and a block four points later, finishing with four kills and a block.
Ole Miss will have a long trip back to Oxford after sloppy play cost them the match, with easy points given up on miscommunications and serves into the net.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols will return to Food City Center on Sunday to face LSU at 2 p.m.