Hogs face Ole Miss in season finale

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – With one match remaining on its 2009 schedule, the University of Arkansas volleyball team will travel to Oxford, Miss., for a Nov. 25 matchup against the Ole Miss Rebels. First serve of the season finale is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CT) at the Gillom Sport Complex. "We’re looking forward to (Wednesday’s) match because we’re still fighting for conference positioning," head coach Robert Pulliza said. "We could finish in fifth place which would be the highest for Arkansas since the double round-robin play started. We want to get the win to solidify our place in the SEC and as we move forward to get ready for next season."Offensively, Arkansas (13-17, 7-12 SEC) continues to be paced by freshman Jasmine Norton who is averaging a league-high 4.51 kills per set during conference play. She has registered double-digit kills in 15 consecutive matches and has seven double-double efforts in a row entering Wednesday’s match. Kelli Stipanovich, Amanda Anderson and Kristin Seaton round out the Razorbacks’ offensive attack. Last weekend, Stipanovich hit .348 with 30 kills over the two matches, Anderson had a career-high 15 kills against Auburn and Seaton posted a season-high 18 kills against Georgia.Cassie Clarke has started the past three matches, and turned in a 66-assist performance in a five-set victory over Auburn last weekend. She followed that effort with 57 assists in the home finale against Georgia. Libero Phoebe Bautista is coming off a weekend in which she collected 33 digs against the Bulldogs, the second-highest match total in program history and the most by a Razorback since scoring rules changed to 25-point sets.Earlier this season, in the first meeting between the two teams, Ole Miss came away with a straight-set victory in Fayetteville. Norton and Anderson led Arkansas with 13 and nine kills, respectively, but the Rebels hit .363 as a team in the win. The Razorbacks lead the all-time series, 23-8.Ole Miss (9-20, 3-16 SEC) is led by Katie Norris’ 3.51 kills per set. Whitney Cravens and Caitlin Weiss are averaging 2.53 and 2.20 kills per set, respectively, for the Rebels. Libero Morgan Springer is ninth in the conference with 3.84 digs per set. With a win against Ole Miss, the Razorbacks would double their win totals-overall and conference-from the 2008 season, their first under Pulliza. Arkansas, picked 10th in the preseason coaches’ poll, is also in position to finish as high as fifth in the final conference standings. Wednesday’s match is also scheduled for a KXUA broadcast. For live stats and other information, log on to ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

Download: arkvb om notes.pdf