Hogs Take Down Red Raiders in Non-Conference Finale

Arkansas volleyball closed out its non-conference schedule on a high note as the No. 25 Hogs defeated the Texas Tech Red Raiders in four sets on Saturday afternoon. The Razorbacks are now 10-2 on the season as they get conference play underway next week.

For the second night in a row, Aniya Madkin led the offense for Arkansas as she posted 16 kills and hit .209 on the day. She was one of four Razorbacks who had double digit kill margins on the day, as Romani Thurman registered 12 and both Sania Petties and Olivia Ruy had 11 each. Petties hit a big .579 in the match and also put up four blocks.

Senior setter Hannah Hogue tallied a double-double, her ninth of the season, with 46 assists and a team-high 18 digs. Hogue had double-doubles in each of Arkansas’ three matches of the Miami 305 Challenge, including a 20-20 against FIU on Friday.

Set 1

A 5-0 Arkansas run with two kills from Ruy and one from Thurman gave the Hogs an early 8-4 advantage. Texas Tech began to settle in from there and narrowed the gap to three at one point, but the Razorbacks did not allow the Red Raiders enough space to truly catch up. A block from Petties and Thurman took the Hogs to 20 and while Tech began to threaten, a Red Raider service error gave the set to Arkansas 25-21.

Set 2

Texas Tech came out with the momentum in set two, but it was quickly met with a 3-0 run by the Razorbacks, featuring an ace from Hogue, that made it 9-8 in favor of Arkansas. The two teams traded blows from there, with the score tied four times before the Red Raiders took a narrow 15-14 lead at the media break. Tech held off the Hogs and extended the lead to 19-16, which prompted an Arkansas timeout. The Red Raiders got three of the next five before another Hog huddle, but Tech closed it with a kill and an ace, 25-18, and knotted the match at one apiece.

Set 3

The Red Raiders opened the third with a 5-2 lead, but a great service run from Avery Calame put the edge back to Arkansas at 6-5. Tech stayed close, but the Hogs went up by two with an ace from Kylie Weeks and settled in. Ruy reached double digit kills on the day to extend the Arkansas lead, but the Red Raiders came roaring back shortly after with five unanswered and knotted it at 17-all. The Razorbacks called time, and it was tight from there, but a kill from Thurman and huge block from Petties and Hogue put Arkansas three away. The Red Raiders got two more out of a timeout, but a kill from Petties and a Tech attack error made it 25-22 Razorbacks for the third set victory.

Set 4

There were five ties early in the fourth set, but a kill from Madkin and ace from Courtney Jackson pushed it to 8-6 Arkansas. The Red Raiders added two, but an ace from Lo Jones grew the lead to four and prompted a Tech timeout. They were able to come within two, but Arkansas limited TTU’s chances and hit 20 first off a Petties kill. The Red Raiders threatened set and match point once, but a Hogue ace put a bow on it 25-29 and sealed the match for Arkansas.

Up Next

The Hogs kick off SEC competition at home on Wednesday, Sept. 25 against Georgia at 8 p.m. Arkansas also has a Sunday matinee with Ole Miss on Sept. 29, set for noon at Barnhill Arena. Both matches will be broadcast live on SEC Network.

More Information

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