By Ashley Stadnicki
It was a week to be a Tennessee sports fan. From last-minute heroics on the football field to a repeat championship on the golf course, the Vols and Lady Vols gave Big Orange country plenty to cheer about. Volleyball stayed hot, swimming and diving made a splash, and soccer faced a tough SEC test.
Volleyball keeps opponents on their toes
The Lady Vols swept Ole Miss and LSU to earn their ninth and 10th sweeps of the season. Kennedi Rogers powered Tennessee past Ole Miss with 14 kills and seven aces before helping lead the charge against LSU. Jalyn Stout added 12 kills in Sunday’s 3-0 victory over the Tigers. Two matches, two sweeps, lots of offensive firepower.
Women’s golf keeps the trophy in Knoxville
The Lady Vols defended their title at the Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate, finishing at 21 under par to beat Baylor by 11 strokes. Madison Messimer tied for the individual title at 12 under par, equaling the tournament’s 54-hole scoring record. Back-to-back titles? What a way to make a statement.
Football finds a way to finish
Now ranked No. 14, the Vols escaped Arkansas with a 24-17 win Saturday on a late touchdown from DeSean Bishop. After the Razorbacks tied the game at 17, Bishop ripped off a career-long 59-yard run before punching in the go-ahead score with 1:57 remaining. The win marked Tennessee’s fourth consecutive road victory, its longest streak since the 2005-06 season.
Soccer hits a bump in the road
The Lady Vols fell 2-0 to No. 11 South Carolina on Friday. Tennessee took 11 shots, including seven in the second half, but could not find the back of the net. The Gamecocks capitalized on their chances to hand the Lady Vols a difficult SEC loss.
Swimming and diving make waves
Tennessee opened its season with a second-place finish in its College Swimming League meet, scoring 535 points behind Virginia’s 567. The Vols and Lady Vols combined for six event victories, while freshman Charlotte Crush set a school record in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:48.87. A strong start for a team looking to make a splash this season.
From late-game football plays to volleyball’s clean sweeps and golf’s repeat performance, Tennessee athletics gave fans plenty of reasons to wear orange proudly. Big Orange momentum is building towards the Third Saturday in October.