Hogs Host Bulldogs for Senior Weekend
Arkansas volleyball’s last home matches of the season come this weekend and the Hogs will host one of the hottest teams in the SEC.
Mississippi State comes to town for a pair of games on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 21 at 3 p.m. riding a 10-match win streak and ranked No. 2 in the SEC.
It’s been a Cinderella season for the Bulldogs, who were picked to finish 12th in conference and have surged to the top with just two losses in SEC play to then-No. 5 Kentucky and then-17 Florida.
Mississippi’s strength comes in its balanced attack. Five of their top attackers have registered 120+ kills on the season and the margin of total swings between those five is just 553 to a gap of 851 in the same area for Arkansas.
Gabby Waden has been particularly efficient for Mississippi State, and her hitting percentage of .331 with 370 kills on 798 swings put her at No. 9 in the SEC.
The Bulldogs have also utilized two setters throughout the season, with Gabby Coulter and Margaret Dean contributing almost equally at 5.44 and 5.41 assists per set, respectively.
In team statistics, Arkansas heads into the match with an edge over Mississippi State in opponent hitting percentage with .188 to the Bulldogs’ .201. The Hogs are also registering more assists per set (12.60), digs per set (15.17) and blocks per set (1.95).
The Razorbacks remain far ahead of conference foes at the service line with 1.66 aces per set, which is good for first place. The Bulldogs are serving 1.24 aces per set, seventh in the conference.
Saturday’s match will be streamed on SEC Network+ and Sunday’s series finale will be broadcast live on SEC Network.
It’s Women’s Empowerment Night on Saturday at Barnhill Arena, and student-athletes will honor and share stories of the people in their lives that have inspired and empowered them to where they are today. Superheroes and Princesses will also be in attendance at Saturday’s match as character actors will be available for photo opportunities on the concourse and in the stands.
Sunday is Senior Day for the Razorbacks. Seniors Lauren Evans, Ellease Crumpton, Abbigail McGee and Gracie Evans will be recognized postgame for their careers and accomplishments at Arkansas.
Last Time Out
Arkansas returns to Barnhill Arena after a sweep of Texas A&M in its last midweek match of the season. The Razorbacks had five players hit over .200 in the match and three with double-digit kills. The Hogs’ first set hitting percentage of .516 was their best in a set since the team’s season opener on Aug. 27.
Up Next
The Razorbacks have just one more match after this weekend. Arkansas closes the regular season on the road at South Carolina on Friday, Nov. 26 at 6 p.m.
