VOLLEYBALL CENTRAL: Alabama/Kentucky

Nov. 5, 2015

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Tennessee volleyball team has a split home-and-away SEC weekend with a Friday match at Alabama before hosting No. 21 Kentucky on Sunday.

Friday's match at Alabama starts at 8 p.m. Eastern and will be streamed live as an SEC Network+ production, available on the WatchESPN app or ESPN3.com. Sunday's home tilt against Kentucky is at 1 p.m. and will be televised nationally on the SEC Network.

Tennessee (20-7, 6-6 SEC) defeated Alabama (11-13, 5-5) by a score of 3-1 at Thompson-Boling Arena during the second week of SEC play. Sunday will be the only meeting of the season between Tennessee and Kentucky (16-7, 9-2). The Vols are 1-1 against top-25 opponents this year (W vs. Arkansas, L vs. Florida).

For more quick news and notes:

INSIDE THE SERIES

Vs. ALABAMA Series: UT leads 34-15 Last 10: UT leads 7-3 Current Streak: UT W1 Last Match: UT won 3-1 at home earlier this season. Kanisha Jimenez had a double-double (18 kills, 14 digs).

Vs. #21 KENTUCKY Series: UK leads 45-29 Last 10: UK leads 6-4 Current Streak: UK W5 Last Match: This weekend marks the only meeting between the teams in 2015. UK won 3-0 twice last year, most recently at UK. Kendra Turner led with 12 kills.

BY THE NUMBERS

8 - Assists from 1,000 this year for Lexi Dempsey, who is trying to be the second UT setter in the 25-point rally scoring era with 1,000+ (Mary Pollmiller, 2011,12)

3 - Kanisha Jimenez is in the top three on the team in these categories: kills (1st), aces (3rd), digs (3rd) and blocks (3rd). She has 275 kills this year.

99 - Sets played for Bri Holmes, the only UT player to participate in every set this season. Dempsey has played in 98.

NEWCOMERS IN STARTING ROLES

Five newcomers have started for UT: Bri Holmes, Erica Treiber, Stephanie Buss, Brooke Schumacher and Nora Reed. Treiber has started every match.

Treiber, a freshman, has contributed a team-leading 1.09 blocks/set and is fourth on the team with 2.19 kills/set at the middle hitter position. She currently ranks seventh in the SEC in blocks and 10th in hitting percentage (.345). Treiber had a career match against South Carolina (10/16) in which she had 16 kills and three aces.

Holmes is second on the team with 2.70 kills/set. She had a season-best 22 kills vs. LSU (10/7). She and Kanisha Jimenez each have 14 matches with 10+ kills this season.

Schumacher has started four SEC matches as a defensive specialist. She averages 1.99 digs/set and six 10+ dig matches. She made her first start at libero against Texas A&M (11/1).

Buss has started six matches; Reed has started five.

WIN NO. 20

With the 3-0 win against LSU (10/30), Tennessee has 20 victories this year. This comes after the Vols won 17 matches in 2013 and 2014 combined.

Since record keeping started in 1973, Tennessee has 22 seasons with 20+ wins.

Rob Patrick has led UT to 20-win seasons 11 times. In eight of the first 10 times, the Vols advanced to postseason play.