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Late charge not enough for Razorbacks at McNeese State

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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LAKE CHARLES, La. — With second-half goals from junior Tori Cannata and sophomore Taylor Malham, Arkansas came back twice against McNeese State to force overtime Sunday afternoon.

However, a 107th-minute rebound score gave the Cowgirls the 3-2 victory in double overtime, handing the Razorbacks their first loss of the 2018 season.

McNeese State’s (3-1-0) Havana Johnson scored the game-winner after a rebound near the right-post deflected to her feet.

Arkansas (2-1-1) goalkeeper Rachel Harris had come off her line to try and knock the ball away on the first shot attempt, but could not get her hand on it, leaving the goal open for Johnson.

For Cannata and Malham, both of their goals were their first of the season and equalized the match in the 79thand 90th minutes.

McNeese looked to have the match in hand with its go-ahead goal in the 89th minute, but the Razorback offense caught the Cowgirls on their heels seconds later as Malham ricocheted a shot off the left post into the net to send the match into overtime.

Sunday’s match was the second time this season that Arkansas has gone into extra time after it played to a draw with No. 9 West Virginia last week for its fourth result over a top-10 team in the last three seasons.

From Head Coach Colby Hale

“First off, credit to McNeese State. I thought they were very good. A big congrats to (McNeese head coach) Drew (Fitzgerald), his staff and those players. We will let this sting a bit. We will need to watch video, learn a few lessons as a team and then get to work for a big home game against Baylor on Friday.”

How It Went Down

21st minute – McNeese broke the scoreless match midway through the first half after being awarded a penalty kick from foul call on Razorback keeper Rachel Harris. Keely Morrow scored the goal to give the Cowgirls the early advantage. Arkansas already notched two corner opportunities before the penalty kick.

79th minute – The Razorbacks finally got the equalizer it had been looking for when Cannata one-timed in her first score of the year. Senior Carly Hoke got the assist on a perfect cross from the left side to the right post. Sophomore Parker Goins deflected it to dupe the keeper and Cannata finished it with the one-timer. The point for Hoke was her first since notching an assist against Providence (Sept. 10, 2017) last year.

bIn the final two minutes, McNeese went ahead for the second time in the afternoon as Morgan Middleton beat Arkansas’ back line on a counter attack with the assist from Havana Johnson.

90th minute – Arkansas wasted no time after the Cowgirl goal as it was able to score just seconds after being cleared to play from the referee. Before McNeese had its defense set, the Razorbacks worked down the left side of the field and Malham finished with a right-footed shot that bounced in off the left post.

Other Key Notes

• Taylor Malham and Tori Cannata became the fourth and fifth different Razorbacks to score a goal through four matches this year.

• Malham’s score gives her three points on the season, just one behind junior Marissa Kinsey, who scored twice on Friday against Omaha.

-Senior defender Carly Hoke recorded her first point of the 2018 season, her first since notching an assist against Providence (Sept. 10, 2017) last year.

• Arkansas and McNeese State notched a combined 34 shots in Sunday’s match. The Razorbacks held the advantage 19-15, their second-largest shot output this season.

• Parker Goins and Taylor Malham are the only Razorbacks to record at least one point in multiple matches so far this year.

Up Next

Arkansas returns home for a single-game weekend slated against No. 17 Baylor. Kick is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday at Razorback Field and the match will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

Schedule has Hogs’ season one that could be good

Andy Hodges
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This time next week we’ll be talking about the season-opening game against Eastern Illinois, so it’s time now to start making predictions.

Last year, I picked a 6-6 record before the first game. They should get that this year at the very least just because the schedule sets up about as well as Chad Morris is ever going to see.

Plus, as usual, I’m ignoring the national dunderheads who quite simply look at the records from last year, view a coaching change and see if a starting quarterback is returning and throw something out there.

This Arkansas team will be better than last year.

Bret Bielema didn’t recruit players that played in his system. That’s why it didn’t work, quite simply. He kept trying to fit round pegs into square holes and never seemed to grasp why it wasn’t working. He recruited players that played Morris’ system.

Last year’s players and coaches all sounded like they were trying to talk themselves into being good. The coordinators, Dan Enos on offense and Paul Rhoads on defense, too often sounded like they were trying not to lose instead of winning.

That appeared to carry over to the players, who did not play up to their ability level.

The change in attitude from coaches and players is night and day from last season. Especially the players, who are bouncing around most of the time.

Even when Morris wasn’t happy about things at practices there was more pep in the step at a good practice last year.

After being at every practice availability for the media this year, this team isn’t that bad. The offense is going to be better, no matter who the quarterback is going to be.

I’ve listened to everybody try to figure out which quarterback will play based on what they think this offense is going to be.

Just go back to what Morris has said on a couple of occasions. His “system” is designed for what the players he has available do best. In other words, if passing works best then they’ll fling it around. If the quarterback is better at running then he’ll run, if he throws it better he’ll pass.

There is NO definitive way a quarterback has to fit in the offense.

He just has to make decisions quickly … and correctly.

And I don’t think we’ll know that for awhile. In fact it wouldn’t surprise me if the quarterback that starts Saturday won’t be the starter the next week at Colorado State.

Having said all of that, here’s my take on the season:

LIKELY WINS

Eastern Illinois, Colorado State, North Texas, Tulsa, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt

The four nonconference opponents are there quite simply because Michigan cancelled their series and the Hogs got a waiver from the league on playing a Power 5 opponent.

Thank you, SEC.

Ole Miss will have some offensive pop. Their defense couldn’t keep a good high school team from scoring. In Little Rock there will be a bunch of Rebels’ boosters because it’s close and affordable. It won’t help.

Vanderbilt is, well, still Vandy.

LIKELY LOSS

Alabama is the only one I’m willing to put in that category. You may think I’m crazy, but stay with me.

NEEDING HELP

The Hogs will not be favored against Auburn, LSU or Mississippi State. And I’m not going to put all three of those games in the preseason win column, but it may not be as big a hill to climb as you think.

The schedule sets up pretty well, remember?

Auburn will play two emotional and big games before hosting the Hogs down on The Plains. They open with Washington, have a rent-a-win, then LSU in a chance to redeem themselves from last year’s second-half meltdown.

The Tigers will have to get up three of the first four weeks of the season. Not predicting a Razorback win here, but it’s a game to keep an eye on.

The Hogs have an off date before hosting LSU after the Tigers play Alabama. They could have 5-6 losses by that time after having played Miami, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi State in addition to the Crimson Tide.

And, finally, we come to Mississippi State the week before Thanksgiving and before playing the Hogs, the Bulldogs play Alabama. In addition, they will have played (in order) Florida, Auburn, LSU and Texas A&M.

As we said, the schedule sets up well for Arkansas this year. I think right now Arkansas will win one of those, putting them at seven for the season.

THE TOSS-UP GAMES

Texas A&M and Missouri are a pair of teams people aren’t really looking closely at the actual facts before throwing them both in the doubtful category.

First, the Aggies are, well, the Aggies and no matter who they bring in as coach he’ll find out why others haven’t won championships in College Station.

Jimbo Fisher isn’t the first coach in this position at A&M. They hired, over the last several decades, Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings, Emory Bellard (when he was the master of the Wishbone), Jackie Sherrill (where he had gone 50-9-1 over five seasons), Dennis Franchione from Alabama, Mike Sherman (offensive guru from the NFL) and Kevin Sumlin (hottest rising coach in Group of 5).

None of them won a national title. Something goofy always screwed it up or they just flat never got close enough to really smell it.

Fisher will find out the same thing and now there are allegations from a former player that he was paid cash by an assistant coach. Hello NCAA. They know their way to College Station, by the way.

And Arkansas should have beaten the Aggies three of the last four years. The talent differential hasn’t been THAT great.

They are also changing offenses, going the opposite direction of Arkansas. We’ll see how that works out for Jimbo in the SEC.

Then we come to Missouri, who is doing much of the same things offensively with the hiring of Derek Dooley as offensive coordinator, who is putting in a more pro-style offense with maybe the best quarterback in the league in Drew Lock.

Dooley hasn’t done anything impressive as a coach.

It’s not unlikely the Hogs split these two games and could win both.

THE FINAL PREDICTION

Arkansas goes 8-4 this year, based on some favorable scheduling through no masterful looking ahead (it was basically luck) and the way some key opponents’ schedules have fallen into place.

With a little luck it could be better. If injuries hit key spots, it could be worse.

But I think that’s how it will play out.

(STANDARD DISCLAIMER: Like Congress, I reserved the right to revise and extend these comments and prediction throughout the season, depending on how things play out.)

Razorbacks get four-set win on road at Kansas on Sunday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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LAWRENCE, Kan. — Behind career-high outings from sophomores Hailey Dirrigl and Elizabeth Pamphile, Arkansas registered a 3-1 road victory Sunday afternoon over Kansas.

The win snapped a four-match skid in the series and marked the Razorbacks’ first win in Lawrence since the 2013 season. Arkansas heads into next weekend’s road trip with a 1-1 record.

The Razorbacks next travel to Minneapolis, Minn., for the Diet Coke Classic (Aug. 31-Sept. 1) for two days of play against Georgia Southern, North Dakota State and fourth-ranked Minnesota. Arkansas’ next home match is Sept. 7 against Butler.

FINAL
Arkansas 3, Kansas 1 (25-13, 26-24, 21-25, 27-25) | Box Score
Attendance: 1,302 | Time: 2:15
Horejsi Family Center (Lawrence, Kan.)

#RazorStats
• Stat leaders at Kansas
• Kills: Hailey Dirrigl – 25 (career high)
• Digs: Okiana Valle – 18
• Blocks: Elizabeth Pamphile, Maia Stripp – 6.0
• Kansas (receiving votes) is the first of six opponents this season to appear in the AVCA preseason rankings.
• There has only been one sweep in the 13-match series between Arkansas and Kansas.

Dirrigl led all players with a career-high 25 kills, becoming the 21st player in program history to reach that figure in a match. She finished the match with a .290 hitting percentage to go along with seven digs and two blocks.

The Phoenix, Arizona, native had at least five kills in each set including eight kills in the fourth. Junior Reagan Robison came in off the bench to contribute with nine kills over the final two sets including the match-winning kill.

From the middle, Pamphile established a career high of her own with 16 kills against Kansas. With Sunday’s performance, she surpassed her previous best of 12 kills from her freshman campaign.

Pamphile and fellow middle Maia Stripp each had six blocks in the match. Stripp teamed up with Dirrigl for a block to win the second set.

Junior setter Rachel Rippee registered 47 assists, nine digs, three blocks and two service aces. For the second-consecutive match, she finished just one dig shy of a double-double.

Senior libero Okiana Valle had 18 digs to lead a quintet of Arkansas players with at least seven digs. Lauren Evans and Paige Johnson each had eight digs in the win.

Behind a blistering .464 hitting percentage and four total team blocks in the opening set, the Razorbacks took the early 1-0 match lead. Kansas (1-1) responded by winning the first four points of the second and led by as many as six late in the set.

The home team was poised to even the match with a handful of set points at 24-21 but Arkansas won the last six points to secure the 2-0 match lead.

The Jayhawks took the third set to get on the scoreboard. With Arkansas looking to close out the match and Kansas looking to force a fifth, the two teams battled through a fourth set that featured 15 ties and five lead changes.

The Razorbacks led 21-19 before Kansas won five of the next six points to grab a handful of set points.

After a KU attack error, Dirrigl had a kill to tie the score at 24-all and on the team’s second match point, Robinson tipped over the block for the final point.

SCORES: Week Zero high school scores

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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SATURDAY’S GAMES

At North Little Rock High School
Bauxite 49, Conway Christian 12
Warren 42, Southside Batesville 26

At Bentonville High School
North Little Rock 29, Tulsa Washington 28
Midwest City, Okla. 28, Bentonville 25, OT

At War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock
Bryant 28, Benton 14

MONDAY’S GAMES

At War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock
Little Rock McClellan 55, Pine Bluff Dollarway 0
Nashville 28, Watson Chapel 22

TUESDAY’S GAMES

At War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock
Des Arc 35, England 21
West Memphis 35, Little Rock Central 0

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Mansfield 28, Hackett 26
Springdale 48, Joe T. Robinson 28

At War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock
Sheridan 34, Mountain Home 7

FRIDAY’S GAMES

CLASS 7A
Conway 48, El Dorado 41
Fayetteville 51, Vianney (Kirkland, Mo.) 28
Fort Smith Northside 69, Rogers Heritage 0
Owasso, Okla. 56, Bentonville West 40
Pulaski Academy 50, Springdale Har-Ber 14

CLASS 5A
Greenbrier 29, Beebe 14
Greene County Tech 53, Jonesboro Westside 52
Hamburg 10, Ashdown 7
Harrison 45, Pea Ridge 14
Little Rock Christian 37, Batesville 0
Magnolia 27, McGehee 16
Mena 28, De Queen 14
Nettleton 14, Gosnell 6
Searcy 46, Morrilton 26
Star City 27, Forrest City 26
Valley View 35, Highland 12

CLASS 4A
Cascia Hall, Okla. 44, Gravette 7
Dardanelle 38, Gentry 12
DeWitt 13, Stuttgart 12
Riverview 20, Brookland 14
Sylvan Hills 16, Arkadelphia 14

CLASS 3A
Benton Harmony Grove 38, Centerpoint 20
Bismarck 28, Cutter Morning Star 22
Booneville 30, Clarksville 0
Cedarville 50, Johnson County Westside 0
Hoxie 42, Cave City 17
Magnet Cove 28, Mountain View 22
Perryville 26, Paris 19

At Hendrix College, Conway
Charleston 37, Melbourne 14

CLASS 2A
Atkins 43, Hector 13
Bigelow 20, Magazine 6
Hazen 26, Cross County 20
Junction City 52, Camden Harmony Grove 50, OT
Prescott 41, Lafayette County 0

Bud Light Countdown: 6 days until Hogs kick off the season

Tye Richardson
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Six days folks.

 

WEEK ONE: This week’s high school football games

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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WEEK ONE SCHEDULE
All games begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

MONDAY’S GAMES

At SAU’s Wilkins Stadium
Magnolia Fouke vs. Parkers Chapel, 5 p.m.
Smackover vs. Foreman, 7:30 p.m.

TUESDAY’S GAME

Van Buren at Alma

THURSDAY’S GAME

Fountain Lake at Hot Springs

FRIDAY’S GAMES

CLASS 7A
Pine Bluff at Cabot
Bentonville at Conway
Fort Smith Southside at Bentonville West
Owasso, Okla. at Fayetteville
Greenwood at Fort Smith Northside
Springdale at LR Parkview
LR Central at Rogers Heritage

CLASS 6A
Mills at Jacksonville
Batesville at Jonesboro
LR Fair at LR Hall
Siloam Springs at Pryor, Okla.
Morrilton at Russellville
Sheridan at Searcy
LR Catholic at Sylvan Hills
Camden Fairview at El Dorado, 7:30 p.m.

CLASS 5A
Osceola at Blytheville
Mountain Home at Harrison
Lake Hamilton at Hot Springs
Lakeside Gentry at Huntsville
Pea Ridge at Maumelle
Rivercrest at Paragould
Liberty-Eylau at Texarkana
Bald Knob at Valley View
LR Christian at Vilonia
Marion at Wynne
Ashdown at De Queen, 7:30 p.m.
Nashville at Hope, 7:30 p.m.

CLASS 4A
Benton at Arkadelphia
Des Arc at Bauxite
Greene County Tech at Brookland
Southside Batesville at Cave City
Magnolia at Crossett
White Hall at Dumas
Kennett, Mo. at Gosnell
Yellville-Summit at Green Forest
Strong at Hamburg
Earle at Helena-West
Helena Harding Academy at Highland
Rogers at Joe T. Robinson
Westville, Okla. at Lincoln
Carlisle at Lonoke
Watson Chapel at Monticello
Booneville at Ozark
Nettleton at Pocahontas
Newport at Pottsville
Farmington at Prairie Grove
DeWitt at Riverview
Stuttgart at Star City

CLASS 3A
Dover at Atkins
Bismarck at Baptist Prep
Bearden at Camden Harmony Grove
Jessieville at Cedar Ridge
Heber Springs at Clinton
Brinkley at Corning
Lamar at Danville
Hampton at Drew Central
Malvern at Glen Rose
Elkins at Greenland
Lake Village at Greenville (Miss.) Christian
Dierks at Horatio
Trumann at Hoxie
Waldron at Mansfield
Central Arkansas Christian at Mayflower
Clarksville at Paris
Jonesboro Westside at Piggott
Mena at Prescott
Quitman at Rose Bud
Western Yell County at Two Rivers
Marked Tree at Walnut Ridge
Berryville at West Fork
Fordyce at Rison, 8 p.m.

CLASS 2A
Perryville at Bigelow
Dardanelle at Charleston
Palestine-Wheatley at Clarendon
Harrisburg at Cross County
Manila at East Poinsett County
McCrory at England
Genoa Central at Gurdon
Marshall at Hector
Subiaco Academy at Lavaca
Mount Ida at Magazine
Augusta at Marianna
Barton at Marvell
Melbourne at Midland
Cedarville at Mountainburg
Centerpoint at Murfreesboro
Lafayette County at Parkers Chapel
Hackett at Pocola, Okla.
Mountain View at Salem
Conway Christian at Spring Hill
Mountain Pine at Mineral Springs, 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY’S GAME

CLASS 3A
Junction City at Smackover, 7 p.m.

PHOTOS: Razorbacks hold practice for gameday

Andy Hodges
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Arkansas held an hour-long practice Saturday inside Razorback Stadium so the players could get a handle on the new improvements at the stadium along with the gameday routine.

Photos by Andy Hodges | HitThatLine.com

Bud Light Countdown: 7 days until Hogs kick off the season

Tye Richardson
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Will the Razorbacks beat the Bulldogs on the road this season?

Photo Credit: Chris Graythen

PHOTOS: Fourth-ranked Wolverines fall to Owasso

Andy Hodges
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Fourth-ranked Bentonville West lost to the defending state champions in Oklahoma, Owasso, 56-40 on Friday night.

Here are photos from the game, including Razorback targets Kendall Young and wide receiver Jadon Jackson.

Photos by Andy Hodges | HitThatLine.com

Kinsey’s brace leads Arkansas to home win over Omaha

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas junior Marissa Kinsey recorded her first career brace, scoring in the 57th minute and 86th minute, to lead the Razorback soccer team to a 2-0 win over Nebraska-Omaha.

The match was the Razorbacks’ home opener of the 2018 season and Arkansas improves to 2-0-1. Nebraska-Omaha falls to 0-2-1.

Kinsey, a transfer from Baylor, scored her first goal of the match off an attempted clearance from the keeper.

Kinsey redirected the ball into the back of the net for the 1-nil lead. Kinsey was not done for the night as her second goal not only secured the win, it was her first career brace off an assist from Parker Goins.

With the win tonight, Arkansas has won nine out the last 10 in home openers, dating back to 2009, and head coach Colby Hale’s third in the last four years.

Kinsey is the first Razorback to score two goals in a match since Stefani Doyle at Providence last year (Sept. 10, 2017).

From Head Coach Colby Hale

“We were good in some areas tonight. I thought we were much better in the second half than we were in the first. There might have been some nerves in the first half being that this was the first home game, but they were pretty amped up. We’re not conceding a lot of shots so far this year, as well as goals. On the attacking end, we probably need to fix a few things. Overall, winning in college is not easy and we were able to win tonight.”

From Marissa Kinsey

“I had been playing her (UNO goalkeeper) in a few times. I noticed she put the ball down as was looking up at the field and losing sight of the ball. A couple times after that I was trying to figure out when was a good time to go after it. When I finally got it, I got a little lucky. It was an effort play.” – Marissa Kinsey on her first goal

“Our whole team just grinds it out. We do whatever it takes to win. We’re an effort and hard-working team. We’re just taking small windows of opportunities and trying to capitalize.” – Marissa Kinsey on the team’s effort tonight

How It Went Down

4th minute – Arkansas nearly got one on the board quickly after the start of the match as Taylor Malham’s header from near point-blank range just missed getting by the keeper. Much of the first half was a possession battle, but Arkansas held the shot advantage 14-1 after the first 45 minutes.

57th minute – Kinsey lit up the scoreboard on her heads-up play 12 minutes into the second half when Omaha’s keeper was trying to clear the ball away. Kinsey raced back to the attacking end and was able to deflect the ball past Ina Gudjonsdottir to put the Hogs up 1-0.

86th minute – Kinsey secured her brace with four minutes to go in the match after sophomore Parker Goins set up a perfect cross from the left side. Kinsey one-timed the shot past the final defender and the keeper to double the lead.

Other Key Notes

• Sophomore goalkeeper Rachel Harris picked up her second win in three matches, making two saves for her second shutout of the season.

• For the second time this year, the Arkansas defense allowed two shots or less as Omaha only managed the two attempts on Friday, one in each half.

• Taylor Malham was on target for four of her five shots in Friday’s win.

• After leading the team with 25 points a year ago, sophomore Parker Goins picked up her first point of the 2018 season tonight, earning the assist on Marissa Kinsey’s second goal.

Up Next

Arkansas goes back on the road for its next match when it travels to McNeese State on Sunday for a 4 p.m. first kick. The match will be televised by Cox Sports and ESPN+.

Razorbacks drop opener to Kansas on Friday night in Barnhill

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — For the fourth time in the past six meeting between Arkansas and Kansas, the winner was decided in five sets but, unfortunately for the Razorbacks, the visiting Jayhawks came away with the victory Friday night at Barnhill Arena.

Sophomore Hailey Dirrigl led all players with 18 kills while sophomore co-captain Elizabeth Pamphile tallied a career-high nine total blocks.

The two teams will turn around and face off again Sunday afternoon, this time in Lawrence. First serve of the rematch is set for 1 p.m. (CT) at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ through the WatchESPN app.

FINAL
Kansas 3, Arkansas 2 (21-25, 23-25, 25-20, 27-25, 15-8) | Box Score
Attendance: 1,129 | Time: 2:48
Barnhill Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)

#RazorStats
• Stat leaders vs Kansas
• Kills: Hailey Dirrigl – 18
• Digs: Okiana Valle – 24
• Blocks: Elizabeth Pamphile – 9.0 (1-8)
• Six of the 12 all-time meetings between Arkansas and Kansas have gone five sets including four of the past six

Senior Kelly O’Brien joined Dirrigl in double figures with a career-high 13 kills, surpassing her previous best of seven kills in a road match at LSU last season.

Fellow senior Okiana Valle began her final season with her 19th-career outing with at least 20 kills, finishing Friday’s match with 24 digs. She also contributed seven assists from her libero position.

Pamphile added nine kills to her defensive showing at the net. Junior setter Rachel Rippee, and fellow co-captain, registered 44 assists and nine digs to finish just one dig shy of the 20th double-double of her career.

She also chipped in with four kills and four total blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Logan Brown added nine kills against the Jayhawks.

The Razorbacks jumped out to a 2-0 match lead before Kansas avoided the sweep by taking the third set. In the fourth, the teams traded blows in a set that was tied 11 times.

Arkansas saved a set point at 24-23 and had a match point at 25-24 on a Dirrigl-Pamphile tandem block. However, the Jayhawks rattled off the next three points to win the set and force the decisive frame.

In a back-and-forth start to the fifth set, Arkansas and Kansas battled through five early ties and were tied at 7-7. However, the visiting Jayhawks won eight of the last nine points of the match to complete the rally.

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