Oct. 19, 2003
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky volleyball team fell to the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks, 3-1, on Sunday, Oct. 19 in Memorial Coliseum. Despite tallying more kills, digs and assists than Arkansas, UK was out-blocked by the Lady ‘Backs 15-4 and committed 15 service errors, allowing Arkansas to remain undefeated in Southeastern Conference play with a 9-0 league record and a 16-4 overall mark.
Junior Sarah Spinner had 19 kills to lead four Wildcats with double-figure kills. Melissa Popp was close behind with 18 kills on .353 hitting. Jenni Casper was the top digger for UK with 10.
A quick kill by Amy Kaplan would start the action in game one, but Arkansas would answer with a point of its own. The teams would exchange the lead until two consecutive kills by Spinner would give UK a 10-8 lead.
Arkansas’ defensive play would allow them to capture the lead again at 18-16. However, violations committed by UA would knot the score at 20. Danielle Wallace’s second kill of the game would keep the game alive for UK. Two quick Razorback kills would force UK to take a timeout. The game lead would go back and forth until Arkansas would seal the 30-27 victory with two uncontested plays. Spinner led game one with eight kills.
The lead would exchange between the teams to start the second game until Sissy Canfield put down a powerful shot followed by an Arkansas ball error to give UK a two- point lead at 14-12. Three more unanswered points by the Wildcats would force a UA timeout. A dump by the Lady Razorbacks would cut into Kentucky’s lead at 19-17. An ace by Spinner would widen the margin later in the game to 26-23 before the Cats roled on to the 30-23 victory.
Intense Arkansas offense was unmatched by the Cats throughout the entire third game as the Hogs went on to win the go-ahead game, 30-16. The Razorbacks dominated the start pushing to a 6-2 lead. Two kills by Popp would cut the Arkansas advantage to one at 10-9. Arkansas later went on a 10-0 run giving them the largest lead of the game at 21-12. The Razorbacks would use another six-point run before finishing off stanza.
The Hogs started off the third match with a quick 12-6 run. A Canfield ace later in the game would cut the Razorback lead down to four at 19-15. Stellar defense would hold constant for Arkansas in game four, but a Popp kill followed by a Davis block put the Cats back in the game at 22-20. A kill by Spinner would cap off an action-packed Kentucky run.
After two solid plays by Spinner and Popp, ball errors committed by the Razorbacks would even the game at 24. The teams tied again at 25 and 26 before a Denitza Koleva kill forced UK to burn a timeout. After the bench visit, a Jennifer Haaser kill gave UA the 28-26 advantage.
Liz McCaslin put UK back in the mix with a kill, but it would be the Cats’ last score of the game as another Koleva shot and a hitting error by Popp would had the Hogs the 30-27 game four victory and the match win.
The Wildcats return to action Friday, Oct. 24 when they travel to Gainesville, Fla., to face the Florida Gators who are currently ranked third in the nation. The road swing continues at Georgia on Sunday, Oct. 26.
