Back at Barnhill Arena to Host South Carolina
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In its annual Dig for the Cure match, the University of Arkansas volleyball team returns to Barnhill Arena to host South Carolina. Friday’s match is scheduled for a 7 p.m. (CT) first serve with the first 100 fans in attendance receiving a free pink Razorback Volleyball t-shirt. The Razorbacks carry a 12-6 overall record with a 2-4 mark in SEC play. Match tickets are $5 while students and fans 17 years and younger receive free admission.
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All-Time Series vs South Carolina
Arkansas owns a 24-12 advantage in its all-time series against South Carolina including wins in 10 of the last 13 matches. The Razorbacks have won 12 of 17 matches played in Fayetteville. Arkansas and South Carolina (9-7, 2-2 SEC) will meet for a second time Nov. 12 in Columbia.
Last Time Out
The Razorbacks had two match points in the fourth set and went on to save four match points in the fifth before dropping a 3-2 loss at LSU. Pilar Victoria and Hailey Dirrigl had 21 and 17 kills, respectively, and junior libero Okiana Valle moved into fifth place on the program’s career digs list.
Valle Joins the Top 5
With her sixth dig at LSU (Oct. 8), junior libero Okiana Valle moved past Jasmine Norton (2009-12) into fifth on Arkansas’ all-time digs list. She enters Friday’s match with 1,141 career digs, just two by Kim Storey (1995-98) in fourth place. From her libero position, Valle has tallied 227 career assists—the most for any Arkansas libero—which ranks 20th in program history.
O’Brien Emerging in the Middle
With the help of 14 total blocks last weekend against Ole Miss and LSU, junior Kelly O’Brien is currently ninth in the league with 1.19 blocks per set during SEC play. She has at least four blocks in five of the last seven matches including a career-high nine blocks against SMU (Sept. 16).
Nothing Like Barnhill
Spurred on by the fifth-largest home crowd in program history, the Razorbacks posted a five-set win over Ole Miss (Oct. 6) at Barnhill Arena. The attendance of 1,428 marks the second top-10 home crowd of the year. Arkansas enters Friday with a 6-1 home record in 2017.
RPI Watch
After splitting a pair of matches last weekend, Arkansas slipped to No. 42 in the second release of the NCAA RPI (Oct. 9). The Razorbacks are one of eight SEC teams inside the top 50.
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