Thompson-Boling Arena is known for the loud crowds that pack the arena to watch Tennessee men’s and women’s basketball games.
On Friday, the fans arrived to watch the Tennessee volleyball team earn a season-opening win over No. 22 Michigan State, setting a volleyball attendance record with 2,301 in the house.
The Lady Vols won the match in four sets (25-21, 20-25, 25-17, 25-23) to kick off the Tennessee Classic. According to Tennessee Student Rewards, there were 1,212 students in attendance to see the first match under head coach Eve Rackham.
“The crowd was amazing,” Rackham said. “There was a lot of people, but they were also really loud. … I think there is no doubt that our team fed off that.”
The Lady Vols came out of the gate with a 7-3 lead, eventually taking the first set by a score of 25-21.
“I think we set a really good tone,” sophomore Madison Coulter said. “To start out the match, we played really clean.
“When you have an atmosphere like that, it really does some damage. It means a lot: Volleyball is an up and coming sport, especially here at UT, and it means a lot to have a lot of students here.”
The Lady Vols gave up the ground they had gained in the second set to the Spartans, but that would be the only set they dropped on the night. After falling 25-20 in the second set, Tennessee would rebound with a 25-17 third set win.
Michigan State held a 23-21 lead in the final frame before the Lady Vols scored four points in a row to close the match. Senior Erica Treiber tallied 19 kills in the win, which was a new career high.
The Spartans were an unfamiliar opponent for Tennessee, making the week of preparation leading up to match that much more important.
“We had good preparation. Obviously, this is an opponent we hadn’t seen,” Rackham said. “It was a brand new team we are seeing, which is a little bit different first match of the year. … We prepared mostly for our part of the match.”
Coulter, who led the Lady Vols with 18 digs and added three assists, echoed the sentiment of her coach.
“Coach Rackham does a great job with our team,” Coulter said. “The only thing we talk about is what is across the net.”
Tennessee continues play in the Tennessee Classic with two matches on Saturday. The Lady Vols match up with Belmont at 1:00 p.m. and wrap up the event with a 7:00 p.m. start against Chattanooga.
Chattanooga defeated Belmont 3-0 in the Friday night matchup between the two sides. After winning the first set 25-19 and the second set 25-14, the Lady Mocs closed the match with a 27-25 third set win.
Rackham thinks this victory can help her team, especially with a quick turnaround.
“You certainly think it gives you confidence,” Rackham said. “It’s one match; it doesn’t define your season one way or the other. … I told them they can enjoy it (the win) for the next hour and a half, and then we have matches to think about tomorrow.”
