Learning in the SEC is hard. The MSU volleyball team found that out first-hand this weekend, falling to Tennessee and Kentucky, each in straight sets.
The Bulldogs (5-8, 0-2 SEC) scored a 20-point set only once this weekend. The Bulldogs’ most glaring flaw on the stat sheet was in the attack error column, as MSU put up 47 errors to its opponents’ 23.
For both contests MSU was without its lone senior, Romanian Cristina Jucan. Jucan suffers from a recurring back injury, and though the injury was thought to have been shaken off at the start of the season by the MSU coaching staff, it has flared up recently, forcing her to the sidelines.
“We’re playing it day-by-day with [Cristina],” MSU fifth-year head coach Tina Seals said. “We’re not sure if she’ll be able to play this weekend or not, either. She is our go-to player for the most part, along with Ioana [Demian]. Now with Cristina gone, it puts a lot of pressure on Ioana.”
Demian, also of Romania, finished the weekend with 12 kills and 10 errors.
The losses against Tennessee and Kentucky were the Bulldogs’ opening contests of the SEC season. Second-year assistant coach Don Perkins said the team now knows what to expect from SEC contests.
“I think seeing Tennessee and Kentucky will give our younger players a better idea of where we need to be to make some noise in the SEC,” Perkins said. “Playing without your only senior is difficult, especially against two teams like Tennessee and Kentucky.”
Friday night, the Lady Volunteers of Tennessee (7-4, 2-0) blanked MSU 3-0 in sets of 25-20, 25-13 and 25-14.
The Lady Vols held MSU to a cold -.050 hitting percentage, meaning the Bulldogs had more attacking errors than kills.
The lone bright spot in the contest for the Bulldogs came in the form of junior setter Dorey Gray’s second double-double of the season. Gray, of Indian Harbour Beach, Fla., tallied 11 digs and 11 assists.
Freshman hitter Faith Steinwedell, of La Jolla, Calif., also hit double figures in the match with 10 digs.
Sunday afternoon, Kentucky improved upon its all-time dominance over Mississippi State, pushing its series lead to 35-1. The Wildcats (11-2, 2-0) defeated MSU in sets of 25-16, 25-16 and 25-8.
The Bulldogs played closely with the Wildcats at the start of the match, jumping out to an early 8-4 lead using a 5-0 run with freshman Leanna King at the serving line.
King, of Huntsville, Ala., had one of MSU’s two service aces in the contest and finished with four kills on a .143 clip, which was MSU’s second-best average on the contest.
“King, as well as the rest of the freshmen, are doing well stepping up, although our opponents are throwing some stronger and more experienced hitters at us,” Seals said.
The Wildcats played five juniors and seniors in the contest, while, at times, MSU fielded a court of four freshmen.
Perkins said he was impressed with how the young Bulldogs played at times.
“Volleyball is a game of runs,” Perkins said. “There were some stretches where we play to our potential, and you know this group is going to be pretty good. We need to keep working to make those runs longer and more frequent, but the talent is here.”
The sleeping Wildcats then awoke, outhitting State .355 to .054 in the first set to take the victory.
UK cruised from then on, carrying its momentum to defeat State in the next two sets, allowing only single-digit points in the third set.
Sophomore middle blocker Ashley Newsome, of Florence, Ala., led the Bulldogs with seven kills on a .167 percentage.
The Bulldogs out-errored the Wildcats 23-7. Over half of those Bulldog errors came from freshmen.
“We continued to put pressure on Mississippi State and forced them to make some errors,” Kentucky head coach Craig Skinner said following the match. “I liked how the team never let up and kept putting the hammer down. That shows how mature our team is.”
Sophomore defensive specialist Kayla Woodard, of Addison, Ala., finished the contest with 10 digs. With the injury to Jucan, Woodard is the only returning Bulldog starter from last year’s squad.
The Bulldogs return to action Sunday as they host Auburn.