UK volleyball takes care of business in Fayetteville; defeats Arkansas 3-2

Kentucky+players+celebrate+during+the+Kentucky+vs.+Marquette+volleyball+match+on+Friday%2C+Aug.+26%2C+2022%2C+at+Memorial+Coliseum+in+Lexington%2C+Kentucky.+Marquette+won+3-2.+Photo+by+Jack+Weaver+%7C+Staff

Jack Weaver

Kentucky players celebrate during the Kentucky vs. Marquette volleyball match on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky. Marquette won 3-2. Photo by Jack Weaver | Staff

Tyler Russell, Reporter

Kentucky volleyball defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 3-2 at Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville on Saturday, sweeping a two-game series.

Going into the match the Wildcats held the first overall spot in the SEC standings record while the Razorbacks sat in tenth overall.

The first set was back-and-forth, going well past the usual 25 points to win.

Arkansas ultimately took the win 31-29 after junior Taylor Head served the ball over the net and Kentucky’s Eleanor Beavin was not able to dig it out, giving the point and set to the Razorbacks.

The second set started similarly to the first with both teams racking up points against each other.

Back-and-forth the two teams went until Kentucky finally got to 24 points and senior Azhani Tealer ended the set with a kill assisted by Emma Grome to tie the match up at one each.

Kentucky took an early lead in the third set, but it remained a close contest until the final point once again.

In the end, Wildcat Erin Lamb helped Tealer close out yet another set as the duo jumped up and blocked Maggie Cartwright’s attempted kill, sealing the set for Kentucky and giving it a 2-1 overall lead.

The Razorbacks reached 24 points first in the third set, hoping to force a fifth and final set, before Kentucky scored five unanswered points late to make it close.

Despite the comeback, Arkansas stayed calm, and Cartwright ultimately recorded the kill that sealed the fourth set for the Hogs and sent the game to the final set.

The final set ended up concluding in favor of Kentucky as Tealer capped off the match with her 18th and final kill of the day, getting the Cats to their 15th and final point.

The Cats look to maintain their winning ways on Wednesday, Oct. 12, as they take on the Ole Miss Rebels at home inside Memorial Coliseum at 8:00 p.m. EST.