Balanced attack leads to sweep of Oral Roberts

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas defeated Oral Roberts Tuesday night with a 3-0 victory at Barnhill Arena.

The Razorbacks had three players — Pilar Victoria, Hailey Dirrigl and Reagan Robinson — with double-digit kills while Victoria and Rachel Rippee each turned in double-double performances.

With the win, Arkansas improves to 6-1 on the season.

FINAL
Arkansas 3, Oral Roberts 0 | Box Score
Attendance: 639 | Time: 1:36
Barnhill Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)

#RazorStats

Leaders vs Oral Roberts
• Kills: Pilar Victoria – 19
• Digs: Okiana Valle – 14
• Blocks: Elizabeth Pamphile – 2.0 (0-2)

Double-Doubles
• Rachel Rippee: 46 assists, 10 digs
• Pilar Victoria: 19 kills, 12 digs

With her 23rd assist of the match, Rippee moved into the program’s top-10 list for career assists.

She finished the night with 46 assists and sits in eighth place on Arkansas’ all-time list, moving past former teammates Bailee Hankenson and Adrien Wohlschlaeger.

The sophomore setter added 10 digs to complete her second double-double of the season. Under Rippee’s direction, the Razorbacks registered a .278 hitting percentage.

Victoria, named SEC Player of the Week earlier in the day, continued her high-kill, high-efficiency numbers with 19 kills and a .368 hitting percentage against Oral Roberts (1-6).

She was joined in double figures by Dirrigl who had a career-best 12 kills to go along with a .385 attack efficiency and Robinson who tallied her third double-digit effort of the season with 10 kills in the match.

The Razorbacks’ floor defense was as impressive against the Golden Eagles, picking up 56 digs in the victory. Junior libero Okiana Valle recorded a match-high 14 digs while senior Krista Kolbinskie established a career high with 11 digs.

From the service line, Arkansas had five aces including three from freshman Paige Johnson who sealed the win with back-to-back aces at the end of the third set.

After winning the first set, Arkansas trailed by as many as four points early in the frame but recovered to pull even at 13-all on an ORU attack error.

From that point, the set was tied eight times and late in the set, the score was tied at 22.

The home team reeled off the final three points of the set including kills from Elizabeth Pamphile and Robinson to clinch the set and a 2-0 match lead.

The Razorbacks led throughout the early stages of the third—and final—set until Oral Roberts served an ace to take a 14-13 advantage.

Arkansas responded by winning six of the next seven points to go ahead 19-15 and forcing an ORU timeout after a Dirrigl-Pamphile block.

With one final push, Oral Roberts pulled to within one of tying the set but at 22-21, Victoria put down her final kill of the match and Johnson followed with her two aces.