Balanced attack lifts Lady'Backs to win

Jump toBelmont box score FAYETTEVILLE – A balanced attack paced by Karla Crose, Christina Lawrence and Denitza Koleva led the University of Arkansas to a three-game win over Belmont in day two action at the Arkansas Invitational in Barnhill Arena Saturday. Arkansas improved to 2-0 while Belmont concluded tournament play 1-2 after the 30-18-, 30-28, 30-22 win. “I’m pleased with the win,” said Arkansas head coach Chris Poole. “It was a balanced effort. We’re still getting a feel for each other out on the floor and our chemistry gets better each time we play.” Koleva lead all hitters with 12 kills and recorded 13 digs for Arkansas. Lawrence and Crose added 10 kills each with Lawrence hitting a match-best .643. Arkansas dispatched Belmont like a jilted lover in a moonlight setting in game one. The lights and scoreboard went out in half of Barnhill Arena due to power surge and the teams took the court in semi-darkness. The dim setting did nothing to diminish the Arkansas offense with the Lady’Backs hitting .520 as they opened an 11-point 19-8 lead and never looked back. The lights returned to full strength near the end of the first game. The dominate Lady’Backs used a balanced attack in the first frame with four kills from juniors Kele Brewer and Amy Allison while sophomore Jessica Dorrell added two block assists in the four-block game. The second frame saw Arkansas come out firing but the excitement of the match seemed to leave the team as Belmont quietly crept back into the contest tying the score at nine-all. The score swung back and forth like a pendulum with neither team gaining much of an upper hand. Arkansas was its’ own worst enemy hitting just .224 with 10 unforced errors and poor passing in the middle of the stanza. Belmont eked out a two-point 28-26 lead but Arkansas re-focused after a booming kill from Koleva that split the Belmont defenders and sparked the early-afternoon crowd. A cross-court shot from Brewer followed tying the game at 28 and the fans were on their feet in Barnhill. Belmont was rattled after surrendering the lead and was called for a net violation giving Arkansas game point. The Bruins called a quick timeout but a wall of a block from Allison and Dorrell finished the game. The final game was a hard-fought back-and-forth affair with both teams employing a little “street ball” with several on-the-court adjustments being made. The Bruins had a lot more fire in their game and dug out more of Arkansas’ thundering kills than in the previous games but the Lady’Backs answered by mixing in some tips and off-speed attacks that preserved the early lead. The Lady’Back setters, Iva Docekalova and Nicole Martin, were solid in the 6-2 offense recording 22 kills each for Arkansas. The Lady Razorbacks return to action tonight hosting Memphis in the final match of the tournament at 7:00 p.m.