Tennessee volleyball just had a week that built more momentum for the program. The Lady Vols defeated then-No. 4 Kentucky on Wednesday, Oct. 21, with a reverse sweep to capture their first top-five win in 21 years, when Rob Patrick’s team defeated No. 4 Florida 3-2. Then on Sunday, they defeated then-No. 22 Vanderbilt in four sets to extend their win streak to seven.

With the strong week, Tennessee moved up to No. 6 in this week’s AVCA/Taraflex Division I Women’s Volleyball Poll. This is the highest ranking for the program since the Lady Vols finished No. 6 in the 2005 season. Tennessee has been on the rise all season and is now 16-3 overall and 7-2 in the Southeastern Conference.

Chelsea Sutton was also named SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. The junior middle blocker from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., hit .419 on the week and averaged 2.33 kills and 2.72 points per set in the two ranked wins.

Against Kentucky, Sutton led the Lady Vols with 14 kills on a .538 hitting percentage and added five digs, three blocks and an assist. She followed that up with seven kills, four blocks and three digs against Vanderbilt.

Sutton dealt with an injury early in the season, and Eve Rackham Watt said Sunday that she has been one of the most improved players on the team as she’s gotten healthier.

“I certainly think Chelsea Sutton, as she’s gotten healthier, has really improved,” Rackham Watt said. “Obviously she was a tremendous player, but we didn’t have the same version of her early just because of the injury. So she’s been able to get back a little bit closer to full strength.”

Kennedi Rogers had 13 kills and 13 digs against Kentucky, and Jalyn Stout added 13 kills and 10 digs. Rogers then led the team with 18 kills against Vanderbilt for her second double-double of the week. Maggie Dostic also had a double-double against the Commodores and scored Tennessee’s last three points to close out the fourth set.

Tennessee was in tight spots in both matches. The Lady Vols dropped the first two sets against Kentucky and came back to win, and the fourth set against Vanderbilt was tied at 19 before Sutton came up with two straight blocks.

“They came into both matches this past week with a high level of belief in their ability and in their team,” Rackham Watt said. “We were in really tight situations last week against Kentucky, and today the same thing.”

Tennessee hits the road next to face Texas A&M on Friday and will finish the weekend road trip at Missouri on Sunday, Nov. 1.

“It’s no surprise everybody in our league is good,” Rackham Watt said on Sunday. “And so we’re expecting that next week.”

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