Arkansas downs South Carolina in three
Jump to South Carolina box score
FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas volleyball team completed the Southeastern Conference weekend sweep with a three-game win over South Carolina Sunday, in Barnhill Arena.
The 30-24, 30-28, 30-21 win improves Arkansas to 10-10 on the year and give the Lady’Backs a 4-6 record at the halfway point of SEC play. Carolina fell to 9-10 overall and 2-8 in the SEC.
“Overall, we played a balanced match with very few let downs,” said Arkansas head coach Chris Poole. “We gave up a couple of mini runs but were able to fight through those and get the win. We challenged the team between games two and three to control the tempo and we did a good job with that.”
Arkansas hit a season-best .413 in the win paced by freshman Heather Royal with 15 kills and a .520 hitting percentage. Royal added eight digs and three block assists in the win.
Senior Jessica Dorrell was also in double figures with 11 kills, a .348 hitting percentage, three service aces and eight digs. Freshman Sarah Freudenrich tallied 10 kills, hit .450 and led the team with seven blocks for Arkansas.
Long rallies and athletic digs characterized the first game but it was the Lady’Backs who maintained momentum from start to finish. The game was close throughout and the score was tied five times but Arkansas never surrendered the lead.
The Lady’Backs hit .390 in the game with five blocks, holding South Carolina to a .140 hitting percentage. The Gamecocks did not have a block in the first frame.
Arkansas was paced by five kills from Royal who hit .455. Dorrell added four kills and hit .800 in a 4-0-5 performance. Freudenrich led the team with four total blocks.
Arkansas allowed South Carolina to take the lead in the second game trailing by as many as four, 10-6. But the Lady Razorbacks seemed to be playing with a renewed sense confidence and worked their way back to a 12-all tie.
The Gamecocks took a timeout but Arkansas started to roll and would never trail in the game.
The Gamecocks out-hit Arkansas in the game, .349-.348, and out-blocked the Lady’Backs 3-1, but Arkansas got three consecutive service aces from Dorrell that fueled the win. Dorrell added five kills in the frame as did Royal for the Lady’Backs.
The third game saw Arkansas dominate the Gamecocks leading by as many as eight points. Although South Carolina struggled offensively, the Lady Razorbacks were able to limit their unforced errors and played an aggressive, fast-pace style on their side of the net.
Arkansas was more than solid hitting .529 with 19 kills and only one hitting error in the frame.
The Lady Razorbacks return to the road next weekend traveling to N o. 18 LSU Friday and Ole Miss Sunday. Both matches will air live on KXUA, 88.3 FM and on the internet at LADYBACKS.COM.
