Trojans fall to Razorbacks

August 30, 2019

By LITTLE ROCK SPORTS INFORMATION

FAYETTEVILLE – Two extremely close sets put Little Rock in striking distance but the Trojans fell just short of claiming a set in a loss at Arkansas Friday evening. The match marked the first time the two Natural State schools met in the regular season.

Little Rock (0-2) dropped sets of 25-20, 25-21 and 25-12 in the match against the Razorbacks (2-0) but threatened in the first two sets.

Arkansas 3, Little Rock 0 | 25-20, 25-21, 25-21 | Box Score | PDF | Photo Gallery

Behind the Box Score

  • Little Rock forced five ties in the opening set.
  • A 6-0 run in the second set, capped off by a Carol Barbosa kill, gave the Trojans their greatest chance for a set win. That run pulled Little Rock within 23-21.
  • Midway through that 6-0 run, Arkansas was forced to call timeout after an ace by Diana Giordani.
  • Each team had five service aces but four of Arkansas’ five aces came in the third set.
  • Little Rock only trailed in blocks, 7-5.
  • Arkansas was led by Devyn Wheeler’s .727 hitting percentage (8-0-11).

Leaders by the Numbers

Notables

  • Laura Jansen’s two service aces marked a career high. Her only other career service ace came earlier in the day against Montana State.
  • Diana Giordani’s two service aces fell one short of matching a career high.
  • Giordani’s nine digs ended a streak of eight consecutive matches played with double digit digs.
  • Arkansas now leads the all-time series, 2-0. The teams previously played in the 1997 NCAA Tournament.

Up Next
Little Rock faces Northwestern State on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 1 p.m.

For the latest information on Little Rock Volleyball, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockVB on FacebookInstagram and Twitter.

Razorbacks dominate on Opening Day

August 30, 2019

By Jessica Roberson/Arkansas Sports Information

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas volleyball team secured a pair of victories on Friday on the opening day of the Arkansas Classic. The Razorbacks recorded straight set wins over Northwestern State earlier in the day before taking down Little Rock in front of a rocking crowd at Barnhill Arena.

The Razorbacks have one more match this weekend and will face Montana State on Saturday morning. After the Classic, Arkansas will hit the road to the west coast, headed to the SDSU/USD Challenge hosted by San Diego State.

FINAL
Arkansas 3, Northwestern State 0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-18)
Attendance: 304 | Time: 1:16
Barnhill Arena

Quick Hits
Stat Leaders vs Northwestern State
Kills: Liz Pamphile, Jillian Gillen – 9
Digs: Klaire Trainor – 11
Notables
Senior Rachel Rippee led all players with 18 assists.
The Razorbacks led for the entirety of the first and third sets.
Arkansas is now 4-0 all-time against Northwestern State.

Junior Liz Pamphile led the Razorback offense with nine kills to the tune of a .412 hitting percentage against the Demons. Junior Hailey Dirrigl finished with a team high .625 hitting percentage through the first two sets after taking the bench due to an ankle injury.

Freshmen Jillian Gillen and Maggie Cartwright both earned a start against NSU, combining for 15 kills. Gillen also added six digs and three block assists to her collegiate debut. In total, five Hogs saw the court for the first time since arriving at Arkansas, including junior transfer Devyn Wheeler who contributed three kills, and redshirt-freshman Maylin Garret to recorded six kills in 10 attempts.

Arkansas limited Northwestern State to an .084 hitting percentage, thanks in part to an overall team effort on the defensive front. Junior Klaire Trainor led the Hogs with 11 digs, but three others recorded six or more digs in the win: Rachel Rippee (8), Jillian Gillen (6), and Gracie Ryan (6).

FINAL
Arkansas 3, Little Rock 0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
Attendance: 767 | Time: 1:21
Barnhill Arena

Quick Hits
Stat Leaders vs Little Rock
Kills: Jillian Gillen – 13
Digs: Savannah Downing, Maggie Cartwright – 10
Double-Doubles: Maggie Cartwright (10 kills, 10 digs)
Notables
Junior Devyn Wheeler recorded eight kills with a .727 hitting percentage.
Arkansas held Little Rock to a .022 hitting percentage over three sets.

Gillen stayed hot throughout day one of the Arkansas Classic, helping lift the Razorbacks to a sweep of in-state opponent Little Rock. Gillen accounted for 35 of the Hogs’ 100 attacks in the victory, recording 13 kills behind a .286 hitting percentage.

Arkansas saw impressive performances from two other newcomers as well, as Cartwright played a balanced game and recorded the first double-double of the season with 10 kills and 10 digs. Wheeler was the most efficient Hog of the day, and when combined with her .727 hitting percentage, the trio swung a striking .353 at the net.

Pamphile remained reliable on the defensive side of the ball, putting up five blocks for Arkansas. Gillen, Cartwright, and redshirt sophomore Maia Stripp also recorded multiple blocks in the win.

Arkansas controlled the pace of the entire match, never giving up the lead and keeping the Trojans at bay as to never even tie the score again after a 9-9 set score in the first. The Razorbacks led by as many as 15 points in the final set, thanks to a kill by Gillen with an assist from freshman Abbigail McGee.

The Razorbacks will return to Barnhill on Saturday morning for an 11 a.m. match against Montana State (1-1). Admission is free to all fans, parking is limited and fans are encouraged to park in Baum East down Razorback Road and take advantage of the shuttle service. Shuttles will begin to transport fans from Baum East to Barnhill Arena starting at 9 a.m. Saturday morning.