Victoria Goes for 26 in Four-Set Loss at Tennessee
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 22 University of Arkansas volleyball team dropped a four-set road decision to Tennessee Sunday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena. Junior Pilar Victoria led all players with 26 kills while senior Chanell Clark-Bibbs added 11 kills of her own out of the middle. With Sunday’s result, the Razorbacks are now 13-4 overall with a 3-2 tally in SEC play.
Including Sunday’s contest, the Razorbacks have played seven of their past eight matches away from Barnhill Arena. The team returns to its home court next Sunday, Oct. 18, to face Ole Miss. First serve of the conference matchup is scheduled for 4 p.m. (CT) and will be televised on the SEC Network.
FINAL
Tennessee 3, No. 22 Arkansas 1 (18-25, 25-22, 27-25, 25-20)
Attendance: 1,331 | Time: 2:09
Thompson-Boling Arena | Knoxville, Tenn.
#RazorStats
• Leaders vs. Tennessee
o Kills: Pilar Victoria – 26
o Digs: Okiana Valle – 19
o Blocks: Breana Jones – 4.0 (0-4)
The showing for Victoria represents her seventh match of the season with 20 or more kills, four of which have come during SEC play. In addition to the middle contribution from Clark-Bibbs, junior Breana Jones had seven kills and a season-high four total blocks. Jones is hitting .484 (15-0-31) in her last two matches. With her second kill of the match, Liz Fortado became the 29th player in program history to record 500 career kills. Defensively, freshman libero Okiana Valle registered a match-high 19 digs and sophomore Kori Ortiz tallied her eighth double-digit effort with 11 digs.
The Razorbacks jumped out to an early lead in the first, doubling up Tennessee (17-4, 3-3 SEC) at 8-4 with an ace by Clark-Bibbs. Arkansas led 15-11 at the media timeout and pushed its advantage to 18-12 after Adrien Wohlschlaeger went over on two to force the home team to use a timeout. The Razorbacks led by as many as nine points in the opening set. Jones put down the final two kills of the frame to secure the opening set, 25-18, and give Arkansas the 1-0 match lead.
Arkansas saved two set points in the second before the Volunteers won the game, 25-22, to even the match at 1-1. Out of the break, the teams exchanged points early and the Razorbacks led 15-14 at the media timeout. Clark-Bibbs won a joust at the net to open a 20-17 lead and force the home team to use a timeout. Arkansas had set point after a kill by Savannah Voelzke but the Volunteers rallied to win the game and take a 2-1 match lead.
Holding the lead through the early portions of the fourth set, Arkansas took an 11-8 lead after a kill by Clark-Bibbs and led 15-13 at the media timeout. Tennessee responded by winning seven of the next eight points to take over the lead at 20-16. The Razorback pulled to within two after a kill from Victoria and a second service ace from Monica Bollinger. However, the home team used another mini surge to close out the match on an Arkansas blocking error.
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