Alabama
Arkansas
Volleyball Defeats Arkansas, 3-1, Sunday at Home
10/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama Volleyball fell in the opening set to Arkansas, just the second first-set loss at home all season, but managed to overcome the deficit and win three sets to defeat the Razorbacks in four, 3-1.
Alabama (18-5, 6-3 SEC) put together one of its most well-rounded performances of the season, with three players in double-digit digs and offensive swings split evenly between Krystal Rivers and Kat Hutson. Rivers led the way with 25 kills, her second-highest total in SEC play, and a .440 hitting percentage, which is her highest total in conference play this season. Sierra Wilson surpassed 50 assists for the second time in three matches, totaling 52, while Kryssi Daniels (19), Natalie Murison (17) and Brittany Thomas (14) each earned double-digit digs.
Arkansas (11-11, 5-4 SEC) was led offensively by Meredith Hays' 19 kills, along with 17 digs for a double-double. Monica Bollinger led the defense with 19 digs while Bailee Hankenson set 43 assists.
Alabama jumped ahead to an early 5-1 lead in the opening set but Arkansas would eventually battle back to tie it at 11-11. Tied at 14-14, a Crimson Tide service error gave the Razorbacks the 15-14 lead at the media timeout and the visitors started to pull away with a 6-1 run to move ahead 21-16 as Alabama burned both its timeouts during the run. Arkansas would reach set point first, 24-19, but the Tide would put together a 5-0 run and stay alive by tying it at 24-24. Arkansas would reach set point four times before finally pulling off the win, 30-28, to take the early 1-0 match lead.
Tied at 5-5 in set two, a ball-handling error by Arkansas and back-to-back kills by Thomas and Bruna Evangelista made it an 8-5 game as the Razorbacks took the early timeout. Alabama kept the visitors at arm's reach throughout the middle portion of the set before Arkansas drew back within one, down 17-16. A 3-1 run by the Tide forced a Razorback timeout but quick back-to-back points out of the break brought the visitors back within one, forcing Alabama to take its own timeout. Alabama held the three-point lead, up 23-20, and kills by Hutson and Rivers ended it as the Tide won, 25-20, to even the match at intermission.
Tied at 6-6 in set three, the Tide started to build some momentum with an 8-3 run to build a five-point lead, 14-9, just past the halfway point. Arkansas started to chip away at the lead, eventually drawing back within two, down 19-17, as Alabama took its first timeout. The Tide would quickly regain its five-point lead at set point, 24-19, and a service ace by Leah Lawrence capped the set win for Alabama to build a 2-1 match advantage.
Arkansas would score three unanswered points to begin the fourth frame, but Alabama would fight back to tie it at 7-7. A 7-4 run would make it 14-11 Alabama as the visitors burned their first timeout while a kill by Katherine White at 16-13 would make it 17-13 as the Razorbacks took their final timeout. The Tide would extend the lead to six at match point, 24-18, and Arkansas looked to start the long climb back with back-to-back points to make it 24-20. Rivers ended the Razorbacks' comeback hopes with a kill, giving Alabama the 25-20 set victory and 3-1 match victory.
Alabama returns to action on Friday, Oct. 31, hosting No. 24 Texas A&M (13-6, 5-3 SEC) for a 7 p.m. CT Halloween matchup.
