Volleyball Falls to Arkansas in Five Sets

Sunday, November 5

Fayetteville, Ark.

1 p.m.

Texas A&M

7-13, 4-9SEC

Arkansas

17-8, 7-6SEC

Texas A&M

Arkansas

Photo by: Sam Craft/Texas A&M Athletics

Nov 05, 2017 | Volleyball

Box Score 1105 Arkansas

By: Texas A&M Media Relations

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Texas A&M had season highs in blocks and aces but came up short in a 3-2 (16-25, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 15-10) loss at Arkansas today at Barnhill Arena.

The match came down to the winner-take-all fifth set in which the Razorbacks jumped out to a 6-2 lead and stayed in front for the remainder of the match. A crucial point in the set occurred when Arkansas was ahead, 9-5, and Razorback Elizabeth Pamphile's attack appeared to sail long, putting A&M within 9-6. Arkansas challenged the call, and the Razorbacks were awarded the point after the match official watched the replay and ruled A&M's block had touch the ball. Instead of the Aggies being down by only three points, the reversal call resulted in a critical two-point swing that put Arkansas ahead, 10-5. Aggie senior outside hitter Kiara McGee followed with a kill to put A&M within 10-6, but the Aggies were unable to get any closer before a kill by national kills and points leader Pilar Victoria put down her match-leading 24^th kill to clinch the win for the Razorbacks.

With the win, Arkansas completed the season-series sweep against the Aggies and notched its first-ever victory against A&M at Barnhill Arena to improve to 17-8, including 7-6 in Southeastern Conference matches.

A&M, which entered the match 4-0 all-time in matches played at Arkansas, suffers its third consecutive loss and falls to 4-9 in SEC matches and 7-13 overall with five matches remaining in the regular season. The loss mathematically eliminates the Aggies from making a seventh consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament, which requires an above .500 winning percentage.

In the opening set, A&M used strong serving during a 7-1 run that put the Aggies ahead, 10-5. The Aggies, who totaled five aces in the set, kept the lead for the remainder of the frame, with McGee pacing the Aggies with five kills while hitting .500 to lead A&M to a .273 to .161 team hitting percentage advantage. A&M held a 22-16 lead when McGee finagled an off-speed kill, and junior middle blocker Kaitlyn Blake followed with back-to-back kills to close out the set.

Arkansas built a 17-10 advantage in the second set before the Aggies reeled off six unanswered points to get within 17-16. A&M would remain within a point at 19-18 before the Razorbacks scored five consecutive points and were serving for the set. Another off-speed kill by McGee and an ace by senior libero Amy Nettles put the Aggies within 24-20 before Arkansas, which outhit A&M .152 to -.029, got a kill to end the set and even the match, 1-1.

There were 11 ties and seven lead changes throughout the back-and-forth third set. A&M had five aces during the first half of the set and used an 11-2 to build a 15-10 lead, but the Razorbacks countered with a 7-1 run to retake the lead, 17-16. The scoring went back and forth, and with Arkansas holding a 22-20 edge, McGee posted two kills during a 3-0 run that put the Aggies ahead, 23-22. Arkansas answered with a kill and a block to regain the lead, 24-23. The Aggies, who were outhit, .289 to .128, then committed an attack error as the ball sailed out of bounds to end the set, giving Arkansas a 2-1 lead in the match.

Arkansas overcame a 15-10 deficit in the fourth set to take its first lead of the frame at 20-19. A Razorback service error and a block by Blake and McGee returned the lead to A&M. A service error tied the score at 21-21, but McGee and Blake had back-to-back kills, and Blake teamed with sophomore outside hitter Hollann Hans for a block to put the Aggies at set point. Victoria posted a kill before Blake secured the win with a kill to even the match as the Aggies outhit Arkansas, .243 to .083, to force the decisive fifth set.

It was the third time this season A&M played in a match that went five sets and the second time the Aggies came up on the short end. Arkansas improved to 6-4 in five-set matches.

McGee finished with a personal season-high 20 kills and 21.5 points. Hans added 15 kills and finished with 12 digs to record her fourth double-double of the season. She also tallied a career-high six blocks to tie senior opposite hitter Ashlie Reasor for the team high in blocks as A&M recorded a season-high 16.5 team blocks. Freshman setter Camille Conner also posted a double-double, tying her career high with 46 assists and adding 13 digs. She also tacked on three aces to tie her career high.

Nettles led all players with 21 digs, the second time this season she has registered 20-plus digs in a match. Her performance also gave her 1, 394 career digs, putting her within nine digs of moving into a tie for fourth in the A&M all-time career digs records.

Senior defensive specialist Gabby Litwin had a match-high and career-high five aces, propelling A&M to a season-high 13 aces in the match.

A&M led Arkansas in total points, 83.5 to 77.5, but the Razorbacks outhit the Aggies, .193 to .139, and led in kills (58-54), assists (58-53) and digs (70-67).

A&M concludes a three-match road swing at Ole Miss on Sunday, Nov. 12. First serve is at 2 p.m. at the Gillom Athletics Performance Center, and the match will be televised on SEC Network.

Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook and on Twitter and Instagram by following @AggieVolleyball.