Best Hogs Volleyball Team This Century Opens with Thumping Win
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas volleyball killed their way past South Carolina in straight sets Friday night inside Barnhill Arena to kick off conference play. Graduate outside hitter Jill Gillen's team-leading 15 kills brought her career total to 1,746, putting her just 53 behind Jasmine Norton's Arkansas record of 1,799.
"While she (Gillen) got her kills, she was also patient in situations that weren't probably the best," coach Jason Watson said. "That level of patience is what we've seen develop over the course of her career. She's getting kills in lots of other ways, instead of just smashing... She's playing the game at a really nice level."
The highest-ranked team since 1999, the Hogs looked to start SEC play on the right note after a highly successful non-conference slate. Arkansas won 10 of their 12 matchups with their only two defeats coming against top-ranked Wisconsin.
Arkansas wasted little time showing who was the better squad, winning nine of the first 11 points. There were plenty of spoils to go around, Arkansas had 16 kills in the opening set. Graduate outside hitter Maggie Cartwright had five in set 1 alone to lead the way. Junior middle blocker Sania Petties capped off a 25-11 opening set triumph with an emphatic block.
Arkansas maintained its aggression after the break and continually took advantage of a disorganized South Carolina block. A 9-3 scoring run by the Hogs ensured that Arkansas doubled their lead and led by two sets to nil, Senior outside hitter Taylor Head led the way in the second set. with five kills. The set ended with a Gillen kill and sealed a 25-15 set victory.
"We definitely rely on our relationships," Head said. "We're all very close, and we've been playing with each other for a long time now... That will just continue throughout SEC (play)."
With their backs against the wall, South Carolina started the third set eons better than they did the opening two. Simple kills for the Hogs in the first two stanzas were now being dug up as the Gamecocks tried to fight their way back. A key reversal at 9-all on an in/out call after a challenge from Watson proved to be a key momentum swing. Initially ruled a point for South Carolina, it turned into the catalyst for a 9-3 run and turned a one-point deficit into a 17-12 lead. The set and game were once again fittingly finished with Gillen's 15th and final kill for a 25-18 straight-sets win.
The Hogs will continue their three-game homestand to start conference play by hosting Texas A&M Sunday, Sep. 24 at 3 p.m. The game can be streamed on SECN+.
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