Alabama
Arkansas
Volleyball Takes Down Arkansas 3-1
11/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 16, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alyssa Meuth tied her career high in kills with 16 to lead the Alabama volleyball team over Arkansas Sunday 3-1 in the CAVE. With the win, the Crimson Tide jumps to 15-11 on the season and 8-9 in the Southeastern Conference, while the Razorbacks fall to 7-20 overall and 4-13 in league play.
"Once again we had very good balance in our offense," said Head Coach Judy Green. "Our ability to sideout put us in position to win this match. I thought our change in defensive mindset to start the third helped us to win that set. Also, our consistency on defense really helped us to pull out this victory today."
Alabama won the opening set 25-23 before slipping in the second 25-22. The Tide came back and won big in the third and fourth sets by scores of 25-14 and 25-17, respectively. Meuth, along with two other players netted double-digit kills for Alabama. Brooks Webster collected 14 kills, and Lindsey Buteyn added 12 kills for the Tide. Calli Johnson hit .750 for the day, with nine kills on 12 attacks. Stephanie Riley had another stellar performance for Alabama with 53 assists and a pair of kills, while Amy Pauly scooped up a match-high 17 digs. Webster added 15 digs as well for her 12th double-double of the season.
Alabama took a quick 6-2 lead to open the match. Arkansas rattled off the next four points to even the score. The match remained close over the next several points before the Tide took the 13-12 lead off a Mary Catherine Aune service ace. Back-to-back kills from Ashley Frazier and Webster gave Alabama a four-point advantage at 20-16. The Tide went on to close out the set winning 25-23.
In the second, it was the Razorbacks who got on the board first, earning the opening two points. The Tide fought back and a Webster kill tied the set at 7-7. Frazier stepped up with a big block to give Alabama the lead at 15-14, but Arkansas came back and netted three straight points late to take the set 25-22.
Although Arkansas struck first in the third set, the Tide put five straight points on the board to take the lead. Webster put down three consecutive kills to give Alabama the 11-3 advantage. Webster came up big for the Tide again earning a kill to give Alabama the set 25-14.
The Tide jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth set behind a pair of Razorback errors. Alabama kept the lead throughout the entire set, with Arkansas only coming to within six points, until the Tide pulled away at 22-15. A Meuth kill finished the set 25-17.
The Tide travels next weekend for its final SEC road trip of the season when it heads to South Carolina and No. 12 Florida. The Tide will face off with the Gamecocks Friday, Nov. 21 at 6:00 p.m. (CST) and the Gators Sunday, Nov. 23 at 12:30 p.m. (CST).
