Longhorns win 5 set thriller over Lady Vols

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The first set went to the Longhorns, who hit 34 percent en route to a 25-19 win. It was Tennessee’s first dropped set of the NCAA Tournament.

In the second set, Tennessee tailed 18-16, but bounced back with a 7-0 run going on to win25-20. The Lady Vols did lose Graduate Libero Yelianiz Torres in the set with an injury that sidelined her for the remainder of the match.

After a back and forth third set, Tennessee took its first lead of the day, winning set three 25-23. The Lady Vols held Texas to a hitting percentage of just 15 in the third.

Down 16-14 in the fourth set, a 7-2 run put the Lady Vols up 21-18 when Texas called one of its two timeouts. The Longhorns would fight off two match points to win the set 26-24.

The 5th and deciding set would prove to be as dramatic as the previous four with Tennessee staving off 4 Texas match points to tied the 5th set at 14 apiece. The Horns would go up 15-14 and once again serve for the match, this time finishing the deal when Morgahn Fingall’s spike sailed long. A replay would not overturn the call as Texas hangs on for the 16-14 win in the 5th set and a 3 sets to 2 win in the match.

Congratulations to head coach Eve Rackham Watt and the Lady Vols who finish the season with a remarkable 26-5 record attaining their highest ever seed in the tournament. The trip to the Sweet-16 was Tennessee’s first since 2005.

Texas advances to the regional final for the n17th time in the last 18 years.