Rally Complete, 0-2 Deficit Erased vs. Georgia

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For the 13th time since 2000, the University of Arkansas volleyball team rallied from a 0-2 match deficit and defeated Georgia Sunday afternoon at Barnhill Arena. Danielle Harbin put down a career-high 27 kills while libero Okiana Valle matched her season high with 28 digs. The Razorbacks saved three match points in the third set before coming away with the five-set victory.

FINAL
Arkansas 3, Georgia 2 (21-25, 24-26, 27-25, 25-23, 15-12) | Box Score
Attendance: 671 | Time: 2:41
Barnhill Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)

#RazorStats
Leaders vs. Georgia
o Kills: Danielle Harbin – 27 (career high)
o Digs: Okiana Valle – 28 (tied season high)
o Blocks: Ana Sofia Jusino – 7.0 (1-6)
Double-Doubles
o Danielle Harbin – 27 kills, 12 digs (third of the season)

Harbin completed her third double-double—and second in as many matches—with 12 digs to go along with a season-high six blocks. Sunday’s performance marked her sixth 20-kill outing of the season, four of which have come during SEC play. She was one of three Razorbacks in double figures along with Barbara Dapic and Breana Jones who posted 12 and 11 kills, respectively. With her seventh kill, Dapic became the 33rd player in program history to record 500 career kills.

In the decisive fifth set, the team battled to nine ties and five lead changes. Georgia (13-10, 1-9 SEC) led 8-6 at the media timeout but the Razorbacks won the next three points including a successful challenge on a kill by Breana Jones that was initially called out. With the score tied at 12-all, Rachel Rippee stepped to the service line where she finished off the victory with a run that featured two aces including the final ball that trickled over the net to seal the come-from-behind win.

Rippee finished the match with a career-high six service aces to go along with 45 assists and eight digs. As a team, Arkansas registered a season-high 10 aces on its way to beat the Bulldogs for the seventh-consecutive time and improving to 23-9 in the all-time series. The teams will face each other for a second time on Nov. 18 on Georgia’s home floor in Athens.

Having dropped the first two sets, Arkansas (5-18, 3-8 SEC) trailed by as many as seven points in the third. The visitors led 18-11 before the Razorbacks won nine of the next 12 points to pull to within one on an ace by Adrien Wohlschlaeger. Having already saved two match points, the home team was down 25-24 when it turned to Dapic who put down the final three kills of the set to extend the match.

The teams traded points throughout the first half of the fourth set before Harbin and Jusino teamed up for a tandem block to give Arkansas a 12-10 lead. The Razorbacks’ advantage was 20-16 when Georgia rattled off five-straight points to take a lead. The score went on to be tied at 21, 22 and 23 before Dapic came through with back-to-back kills to push Arkansas to its third five setter of the season.

With wins in the final two matches of their two-week home stand, the Razorbacks return to action next Sunday, Nov. 6, for a road contest at Alabama. First serve of that match is scheduled for 1 p.m. (CT) on the SEC Network. Arkansas’ next home match is Wednesday, Nov. 9 against No. 22 Kentucky.

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