Razorbacks Rack Up Second Top 10 Win of the Season Over Jackets

The Arkansas volleyball program hosted its first ranked vs. ranked match-up in 23 years on Thursday, and the No. 24 Hogs did not disappoint with their second top 10 win of the season over the No. 7 Georgia Tech Yellowjackets, 3-1.

It’s the first time that Arkansas has ever posted two top 10 victories in a season in program history, following up the team’s 3-1 victory against then-No. 8 Washington on Aug. 26. Besting the mark set earlier in the season, Thursday’s win is the highest-ranked win for the Hogs since 2007.

Senior outside hitter Jill Gillen led the Razorbacks with 18 kills and 12 digs for her first double-double of the season. Graduate student Hailey Dirrigl had a team-best hitting percentage of .423 with 12 kills, which is a season high for her.

Setters Gracie Ryan and Hannah Hogue racked up 22 assists each, and sophomore libero Courtney Jackson had a team-high 18 digs. Arkansas had four team blocks and Taylor Head and Tatum Shipes each had three block assists apiece.

Set 1
The first set was close to start, but the Hogs began to pull away with a five-point lead off a kill from Dirrigl, and later extended it to six with a three-point run, which featured an ace from Head, which sent the Yellowjackets to timeout down 13-7. Georgia Tech couldn’t generate a strong offensive push while the Razorbacks strung together three straight points with another pair of Dirrigl kills for a 10-point edge at 20-10. The Yellowjackets huddled again and cut the deficit to seven, but the Hogs added kills from Head and junior Maggie Cartwright to put the first set away, 25-16. Arkansas held Georgia Tech to below .100 hitting percentage in the first set at .061, while the Hogs hit .267.

Set 2
The score was tied four times early in the second set until Georgia Tech used a 6-1 run and went up 12-7. Arkansas called time to regroup, and the Hogs cut the lead to five shortly after a three-point run with a pair of kills from Gillen and one from Cartwright. The Yellowjackets went to a timeout, and while they were the first to 20, the Razorbacks began to press. They came within one with kills from Head and Shipes, but the Jackets regained the three-point advantage. Arkansas called time, but the Hogs ran out and a service error handed the second set to the visitors, 25-23.

Set 3
With the match tied up at 1-1, Arkansas swung the momentum at the start of the third set with a quick 4-1 lead off a kill from Head. Georgia Tech didn’t let up and tied the score six times to the 10th point, but it was then that the Jackets really took control and went on a 5-2 run for a 15-12 lead at the media timeout. The Hogs stayed on their heels and fired back to narrow the gap to one point at 18-17, which sent Georgia Tech to a timeout. The Razorbacks locked in and rattled off four straight kills, two from Head and one each from Dirrigl and Gillen, and the Hogs went up 21-19. Georgia Tech called time once again, and came within two, but couldn’t catch up. Cartwright again took set point at 25-22 and put the Razorbacks ahead at 2-1.

Set 4
Arkansas was firing on all cylinders in the beginning of the fourth set after a 3-3 tie, and used five straight points, which featured an ace from Jackson and two Gillen kills, for an 8-3 advantage. Georgia Tech couldn’t get much going after a timeout, and the Razorbacks grew the lead to 13-7 off an ace from Shipes. The Jackets didn’t come within less than five after that and kills from Cartwright and Archibong sent Georgia Tech to a huddle down 18-11. Back-to-back A Yellowjacket attack errors pushed Arkansas over the 20-point threshold at 20-11, and while Georgia Tech threatened within five, a kill from Dirrigl put the Hogs just two points away. The Jackets spoiled set and match point once with their 20th, but Gillen drilled down her 18th kill of the night to cap off the 25-20 set victory and 3-1 match win.

Up Next
Arkansas closes the Arkansas Challenge back at Barnhill Arena on Friday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. against NC State. The match will be streamed live on SEC Network plus and tickets are available online or in person.

More Information
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