By Charlie Rath
Jalyn Stout spent three years alongside Coastal Carolina; now, as a Lady Vol, she knows what it feels like to beat them.
Stout played a major role in handling this afternoon’s match, recording a season-high 17 kills on 30 attacks against her former team.
Following a disappointing sweep against ranked No. 2 Pitt a few days earlier, the Lady Vols re-established their dominance with a sweep against the Chanticleers. Now, the Lady Vols hold a record of 6-1 and are in great shape following their bounce-back.
“I mean, as much as I want to say, ‘I don’t care it’s my old school,’ there’s obviously a little bit of fire in me there, like, hey, I really want to win this game,” said Stout.
Stout might have wanted to downplay the weight of facing her former team, but her performance suggests quite the opposite. That fire she mentioned was clearly prevalent as she took control and got the win right where she wanted it.
Since the beginning of this season, Stout has been an X-Factor for Tennessee Volleyball. In the first four matches, Stout has provided 39 kills, 28 digs, eight assists, and six blocks. Her ability to perform greatly across so many varying stats shows her ability to create a winning culture.
Although Stout dominated, she would not have been able to do this in isolation.
Setter Caroline Kerr controlled the offense as usual, recording yet another 40-assist match. Kerr’s consistent ability to set the Lady Vols up with scoring opportunities is a key component of their success.
Kerr has contributed 239 assists through the first seven matches of the season, and she also had her second 40-assist game against the Chanticleers. Her distribution was enough for Stout to have a total of 30 attacks.
After the match, the Chanticleers now stand 4-3. Despite the slightly above .500 record, it does not do their competitiveness justice. In a matchup against Wofford, Coastal Carolina found themselves down 0-2 (18-25, 11-25) and were able to win three straight sets following that to win 3-2 (25-14, 28-26, 16-14).
For the Lady Vols, this is a quality win, even though Coastal is feeling the absence of Stout. This season for Coastal, through the first seven matches, they’re clearly not as complete without her. Last year, through the first seven, Coastal was 5-2, and they finished the season 18-11 (10-6), finishing second in the Sun Belt East.
For Stout, this win is more than just moving Tennessee to a 6-1 record. Her performance with a team and staff she has worked with for years shows that she is committed to her new role and her newfound community.
Stout and the Lady Vols will look to carry this fire into their next-week matchup against Queens on Tuesday at Curry Arena in Charlotte, NC. But it doesn’t get easier from here, as they travel to University Park, PA. To take on USF (1-7) and Penn State (5-1).