Volleyball faces tough road challenge

FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas volleyball team faces its first road test of the young season traveling to Santa Clara, Calif., for a pair of non-conference matches Friday and Saturday. Arkansas, 0-1, faces Pacific Friday and No. 22 Santa Clara Saturday with both matches being played at Santa Clara. The Lady Razorbacks opened the year with a 3-1 loss to Kansas Wednesday. Arkansas’ young lineup went through the first-match growing pains and head coach Chris Poole is glad to have the first match out of the way. “We played a lot of freshman in that match,” said Poole, “we’re going to play a lot of young players all season. It was great to get out there in a game setting and see exactly how they would react.” The Pacific Tigers open their season with Arkansas on Friday. The Tigers are coming off an 18-14 season last year under fourth-year head coach Jayne McHugh. Despite the low win total, the Tigers are getting votes in the national poll thanks, in part, to three returning senior starters and two juniors starters this year. Santa Clara opened the year with a win over Sacramento State Wednesday. They host Pacific on Sunday. “We’re looking forward to getting on the court again,” said Poole. “Our goal this weekend is to be more consistent in our play.” The season’s tough schedule doesn’t get any easier for Arkansas with nine of the first 10 teams the Lady’Backs face mentioned in the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll. The Lady’Backs return home Sept. 17-18, hosting the C&C Services Invitational in Barnhill Arena. For more information and tickets please call the Lady Razorback Ticket Office at 57-LBACK or log on to www.ladybacks.com.