Arkansas Volleyball Fact Sheet #12 - Tennessee and Kentucky

LAWRENCE REACHES MILESTONEUniversity of Arkansas senior Christina Lawrence reached a career milestone this weekend recording her 1,000th-career kill. Lawrence’s career 1000th kill was her second in the first set at No. 11 Florida. She had nine kills at South Carolina and nine against the Gators giving her 1,007 for her career. Lawrence is the 13th player in Razorback volleyball history to reach her 1,000th career kill. Krystal Osborne (1994-98) is the all-time kills leader with 2,185. See the complete top 13 list on the next page.
SEC SEASON PART IIThe Razorbacks are in the midst of the second half of the 2008 Southeastern Conference schedule. Arkansas opened SEC play Sept. 19 with a five-set win at Auburn and repeated that feat with a five-set win against the Tigers in Fayetteville Oct. 26. Arkansas has seven regular season matches remaining.
ARKANSAS IN THE SEC STATSThe Razorbacks continue to move around in the SEC stats. This week, Arkansas ranks sixth in SEC only matches for hitting percentage. They are 11th in opponent hitting percentage, seventh in assists, and eighth in kills, blocks and service aces and 10th in digs. In league-only matches, senior Christina Lawrence ranks fifth in hitting percentage and seventh in kills. Caira Dortch (No. 9) and Lindsay Scanlan (No. 7) both rank in the assists category and Phoebe Bautista is ninth in digs. In all matches, Arkansas checks in eighth in hitting percentage, 10th in assists, kills and service aces. Arkansas is seventh in blocks and 10th in digs this week. Individually Lawrence is eighth in hitting percentage and 10th in kps. Dortch ranks seventh and Scanlan is ninth in aps, senior Yun Tang ranks fifth in blocks and Bautista is ninth in digs.
A LOOK AT SOME NUMBERSArkansas’ offense has struggled this year. The Razorbacks’ opponents have had more kills 16 times this year and Arkansas has been out-dug in 19 of the team’s 23 matches. Interestingly, the Razorbacks have out-blocked or had the same number of blocks in 14 matches this year. Arkansas has more blocks this year (151.0-149.0) than its opponents.
ARKANSAS SCORES WHEN?The Razorbacks are 6-17 in set one, 7-16 in set two, 8-15 in set three, 4-4 in set four and 2-3 in the fifth set. Arkansas is 4-11 in three sets, 0-3 in four and 2-3 in five set matches this year.
SHOW ME THE POINTSThe Razorbacks have been outscored in all five sets this year. Arkansas’ opponents are out-scoring the Razorbacks 544-468 in set one, 548-480 in set two, 538-463 in set three, 187-176 in set four and 62-60 in the fifth set for a 1879-1647 total.
FRESHMAN LEADS THE NUMBERS RACEFreshman Kelli Stipanovich leads Arkansas in several statistical categories this year. She ranks first in kills with 234, serve percentage with a 0.25 saps and first in total points with 263.
A SEASON OF BESTSSenior Christina Lawrence has led the Razorbacks all year and she holds most of the season individual “bests.” Here’s a quick look: Hitting percentage .500 (15-3-24) at LSUKills 22 vs. Auburn Kills by set 3: 15 at LSU; 4: 17 at Tennessee; 5: 22 vs. AuburnPoints 25.0 vs. Auburn Points by set 3: 17.0 at LSU; 4: 18.5 at Tennessee; 5: 25.0 vs. Auburn
ABOUT TENNESSEEThe Lady Vols come to Fayetteville with a 17-8 overall mark and a 10.4 record in SEC matches. Tennessee has won seven in a row dating back to Oct. 14 and including a four-set win over Arkansas in Knoxville. Nikkie Fowler and Milan Clarke are the Lady Vol leaders this year. Fowler has 317 kills and is hitting .231 while Clarke has 229 and is hitting .234. Arkansas also has to prepare for Farren Powe who leads the team with a .308 hitting percentage.
ARKANSAS VERSUS THE LADY VOLSArkansas leads the all-time series with Tennessee 14-8 but the Razorbacks have lost the last two matches.
ABOUT NO. 19 KENTUCKYKentucky continues to climb up in the polls moving from No. 21 to No. 19 this week. The Wildcats are 22-3 overall and 13-1 in the SEC. Sarah Mendoza leads the team with 3.31 kps while Queen Nzenwa leads the team with a .354 hitting percentage. The Wildcats have won seven in a row with their last loss coming Oct. 10 against No. 10 Florida
ARKANSAS VERSUS THE WILDCATSArkansas is 13-10 all-time against the Wildcats. Kentucky, however, has won the last three meetings and comes into Fayetteville ranked 19th this week.
RAZORBACKS ON THE RADIOThe Arkansas Razorback volleyball team returned to the KXUA airways this season for their single match at Auburn. The Razorbacks went live at 6 p.m. Central from Auburn, Ala. KXUA is 88.3 FM on the dial in Northwest Arkansas. The broadcast also aired live on ArkansasRazorbacks.com. Jeri Thorpe provides the play-by-play along with Stephen McGowan for your color analysis. Here is the complete KXUA broadcast schedule for 2008:DATE OPPONENT TIME RESULTSept. 19 at Auburn 6 p.m. W, 3-2Oct. 10 Alabama 7 p.m. L, 1-3Oct. 12 Mississippi State 1:30 p.m. W, 3-0Oct. 17 at Kentucky 6 p.m. L, 0-3Oct. 19 at Tennessee 12:30 p.m. L, 1-3Nov. 7 Tennessee 7 p.m.Nov. 9 Kentucky 1:30 p.m.Nov. 14 at Mississippi State 7 p.m.Nov. 21 LSU 7 p.m.Nov. 23 Ole Miss 7 p.m.All Postseason matches
UP NEXTArkansas returns home hosting Tennessee and Kentucky Nov. 7 and 9, respectively before a trip to Mississippi State and Alabama in the final SEC road series. Arkansas wraps up the regular season hosting LSU, Georgia and Ole Miss.