University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
8-4, 1-2SEC
Arkansas
10-3, 1-1SEC
Arkansas Tops #21 Lady Vols In Four Sets
September 21, 2012 | Volleyball
Sept. 21, 2012
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.-The No. 21 University of Tennessee Lady Vol volleyball team lost in four sets, 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 17-25, 17-25), to Arkansas on Friday night in the squad's Southeastern Conference home opener at Thompson-Boling Arena. With 45 assists, sophomore setter Mary Pollmiller became the seventh Lady Vol in program history to eclipse the 2,000-career assist plateau.
The Razorbacks improved to 10-3 overall and 1-1 in the SEC with the win, while the Lady Vols fall to 8-4 overall and 1-2 in the league. UT led the match in kills, assists and digs. Tennessee has had more kills and assists in every match this season.
"We had a game plan going in that I thought - when we did play it - we did a really nice job," said head coach Rob Patrick. For whatever reason, we got away from the game plan that we had and Arkansas did a great job of taking advantage of that. There a really good team. We had to take care of the ball on our side of the net and as you can see with the number of errors we had, we didn't do that."
Pollmiller, who rewrote the UT single season record books last season, moves into seventh place all-time with 2,009 assists. Junior outside hitter Kelsey Robinson posted her 10th consecutive double-double with 14 kills and 16 digs, while sophomore Tiffany Baker led the match with 15 kills. Senior right side hitter Leslie Cikra added 11 kills and hit .409 in the match.
"It (2,000 career assists) means a lot," said Pollmiller. "I have great hitters around me and the passes are great so we have unlimited options. It's fun to set these girls because they do get so many kills. It's just a fun team to play with."
The Hogs were led by senior Jasmine Norton, the conference's active kill's leader, who finished with 12 kills and 12 digs. Arkansas' libero Emily Helm notched 18 digs. As a team, the Hogs hit .266 and held UT to a .150 attacking clip.
The opening frame consisted of nine ties and five lead changes as Arkansas went on to take the game by a 25-21 margin. The Lady Vols were up 15-12 midway through the frame, but the Hogs rallied to take a 21-18 lead following four straight UT errors. Out of a timeout, the Razorbacks finished off the set on a 4-3 run to win the set. Norton and Baker each had five kills in the opening game.
UT responded early in the second set, using a 7-0 run to take a 7-1 lead over the visiting Razorbacks. Arkansas quickly cut the deficit to 11-9 with a 6-1 run of its own. In a set that consisted of mostly runs, the Lady Vols came back with a 6-2 stretch to go up 17-11 on the Hogs. Arkansas came back to within three at 18-15, but the Big Orange wrapped up the set, 25-20, to level the match at 1-1.
The Hogs took a 4-0 lead out of the break and UT quickly cut their lead to 5-4, but would not be able to take the advantage as Arkansas hit a scorching .458 in the game en route to a 25-17 third set victory. Pollmiller tallied 10 assists in the third, surpassing the 2,000-career assist mark.
Arkansas used runs of four and five straight points, hit .333 and held the Lady Vols to a .000 attacking clip to win the fourth set, 25-17, and take the match in four games.
Defensively, junior libero Ellen Mullins added 12 digs for the Orange & White. Pollmiller led the squad in blocks with three. Arkansas outblocked the Lady Vols, 16-6.
The Big Orange returns to action on Sunday afternoon when it welcomes the South Carolina Gamecocks (13-1, 2-1 SEC) to Thompson-Boling Arena. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.
