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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
11-15,7-9SEC
Georgia
20-7,11-5SEC
Volleyball's Rally Comes Up Short At Georgia
11/19/2022 | Volleyball
Schnitta Finishes in Double-Figures for Fifth Straight Match
ATHENS, Ga. – After rallying to force a fifth set, Ole Miss volleyball ran out of steam and was unable to complete the comeback Saturday afternoon inside Stegeman Coliseum.
The Rebels (11-15, 7-9 SEC) held Georgia (20-7, 11-5 SEC) to a .153 hitting percentage, its second lowest mark at home this season, but it wasn't enough. Three Rebel attackers tallied 10-plus kills, led by Anna Bair with 17. Samantha Schnitta finished with 14, marking her fifth straight match with at least 10 kills. Vivian Miller rounded out the trio with 12. Defensively, libero Cammy Niesen was flying around the court, registering 24 digs and seven assists.
Tied at five in the opening set, three straight kills from Schnitta highlighted a 6-0 run to give Ole Miss an 11-5 advantage. The Rebels kept their foot on the gas, continuing on a 9-2 run and pushing the lead to 12. Georgia tried to make things interesting by stringing together a few runs, but Ole Miss closed it out as Niesen aced the Dawgs for a 25-18 set victory.
Georgia opened the second set with a 7-3 start, but the Rebs responded with a 6-2 run of their own to tie at nine all, forcing the Bulldogs to call timeout. Both teams continued to play close until Georgia found separation again with a mini 3-0 run at 18-15. Ole Miss tied things back up a 22, but Georgia took a timeout and the final three points of the set to even the match.
It was the Bulldogs who pulled away early in set three. They used a pair of runs to double up the Rebels at 8-16. Still, Ole Miss never quit, battling back within one at 19-20 after Schnitta capped off an 11-4 run with a massive swing to end a long rally. Once again, the Rebels couldn't find the final push they needed as Georgia took the third set 25-22.
Ole Miss had to call for an early timeout in set four after falling behind 1-5 out of the gate. Trailing by as many as five, the Rebels continued to fight for points, scoring in bursts to claw their way back into the match. They tied it up at 12, going on a critical 7-2 run, and later took the lead with three unanswered points. With an 18-16 lead coming out of a Georgia timeout, Ole Miss never looked back. Miller was key down the stretch, coming alive late in the set with four kills and an ace to help the Rebels force a fifth set.
With the match on the line, Ole Miss fell behind 2-5 to start the fifth set. The Rebels never panicked, cutting the lead to two as both teams switched benches at the midway point in the set. They continued to battle back within one but ran out of steam as Georgia pulled away to win the match.
The Rebels close out the regular season at home against Florida on November 25 and 26.
Follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissVB, Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball, and on Instagram at @olemissvb.
