Oct. 8, 1999

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky volleyball team took the 21st-ranked Arkansas Lady ?Backs to the wire on Friday night, but could not overcome a 24 kill performance by Yarleen Santiago in a 3-2 UK loss. The Wildcats (9-7, 2-3 SEC) got out to a 2-1 advantage after taking games one and three, but Santiago took over in the fourth game by pounding 10 kills in the last two games.

In a match-up of the top two blocking teams in the SEC, the Lady ?Backs (13-4, 3-1 SEC) demonstrated their conference leading blocking prowess with a 15-5 block advantage over the Cats.

UK opened the match with an impressively efficient attack as the Cats hit at a .320 clip in game one with Katie Eiserman leading the way. The Cats scored a convincing 15-6 win in game one in large part to UA?s -.040 hitting percentage.

The Cats took control of the match by outlasting Arkansas 15-12 in game three behind the powerful right arm of Kristen Batt who posted five kills in the game and 12 for the match. Megan Weiskircher also has a good night for UK as she scored 13 kills, several of which overpowered Arkansas receivers.

The final two games were up for grabs throughout as the two teams traded vicious attacks and fantastic digs. Eiserman led the Cats with 15 digs while Weiskircher contributed 13. The double-doubles recorded by Eiserman and Weiskircher were their eleventh and fourth of the season, respectively. Santiago recorded 14 digs.

After falling behind 6-1 in game five, the Cats evened things at 8-8 before the Arkansas blocking game took over. Ning Zhao, Sandy Martin and Libby Windell put up a wall at the net, shutting down the Cats? attack in crunch time. The trio totaled 17 block assists for the match.

The Wildcats return to the court on Sunday, Oct. 10, to battle the LSU Tigers who are guided by two former Cats. LSU head coach Fran Ralston-Flory was UK?s coach from 1993-97, while assistant coach Ainsley Grimes played for Ralston-Flory at UK from 1993-96. The match is set to begin at 2 p.m.

AGATE
Lexington, Ky. (Memorial Coliseum)

 Arkansas         6      15      12      15      15 Kentucky        15       9      15      10      11

Attendance: 307