Match Stats
No. 25 Kansas State dominated over Arkansas, never trailing at any point during the match. The Wildcats are now 8-2 all-time against the Razorbacks.
Wildcat Bryna Vogel hit a team-high 10 kills, posting a .333 hitting percentage. Libero Kersten Kober picked up 11 digs, the 10th time this season she has recorded double-figures.
Danielle Harbin put down 13 kills for the Razorbacks, a match-high, also posting a .312 hitting percentage. Okiana Valle recorded 13 digs for the match.
Press Release
Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The 25th-ranked Kansas State volleyball team never trailed at any point during its eighth consecutive victory Friday night, a sweep (25-21, 25-17, 25-13) of Arkansas at the Arkansas Invitational held at Barnhill Arena.
“We defended exceptionally well tonight,” said redshirt senior Katie Brand. “We stayed on task and were disciplined defensively. That was a huge difference in the match tonight.
“Everyone seemed to contribute,” added Brand, who recorded her team-leading fifth double-double (35 assists, 11 digs). “When we are this balanced on both sides of the net, we are tough to stop.”
The K-State (10-2) defense recorded 12 blocks on the night, a season-high for a three-set match, as seven different players got onto the scoresheet. That disciplined defense held Arkansas (1-9) to a .109 efficiency in the match, including .079 in the final set.
The Wildcats shot out to an early 8-3 lead in the opening game before the Razorbacks were able to battle back and knot up the score at 20, fueled by an 8-1 run. The Wildcats closed out the set by scoring five of the final six points, earning a 25-21 result. Junior right-side hitter Bryna Vogel recorded four kills in the set while the Cats tallied five team blocks. Vogel finished with a team-high 10 kills on 24 swings (.333).
Two separate 5-0 spurts propelled the Cats to a second-set 25-17 win. Katie Reininger tallied five kills and three blocks in the set. After posting a new season high in kills (13) in Friday’s early match, the senior middle blocker followed up that effort with a season-high eight blocks Friday night.
The third set held more of the same, as K-State hit a match-high .351 and committed only two attacking errors. Senior hitter Brooke Sassin recorded six kills in the final set as her, Reininger and Kylee Zumach all finished the night with eight kills.
Senior libero Kersten Kober dug 11 balls, her 10th match this season recording double-figures.
K-State concludes the Arkansas Invitational Saturday when it takes on Southern Mississippi at 10 a.m., at Barnhill Arena. Both the Wildcats and Golden Eagles are 2-0 in the four-team tournament. It will be the final non-conference match for Kansas State before commencing Big 12 play on Wednesday against Iowa State. Saturday’s match can be heard on K-StateSports.com.
NOTES
· Kansas State is now 8-2 all-time against Arkansas.
· This marked the fourth straight season in which the Wildcats and Razorback have played (K-State, 3-1).
· Head coach Suzie Fritz is now 40-22 against teams from the SEC. It is the most victories in her career against one conference outside of the Big 12.
· No. 25 K-State is the fourth ranked team that Arkansas has already faced during the 2016 season (0-4).
· K-State reached double-figure blocks for the sixth time in 12 matches this season (6-0).
· Arkansas head coach Jason Watson is a former Kansas State assistant coach (2000-01).
· Vogel lead the team in kills for the second time in the past three matches.
Press Release
Courtesy of Arkansas Athletics
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Senior co-captain Danielle Harbin put down a match-high 13 kills and freshman Reagan Robinson came off the bench for seven kills and seven digs in a straight-set loss to No. 25 Kansas State Friday evening at Barnhill Arena. Friday’s match was played in front of 1,283 fans, marking the ninth-largest home crowd in program history. Five of Arkansas’ top-10 attendance figures have come over the past three seasons.
The Razorbacks close out their weekend hosting duties Saturday when they face UMKC in the finale of the Arkansas Invitational at 12 p.m. With Saturday doubling as a football game day in Fayetteville, fans are encouraged to utilize shuttles (see map) that will run from the large parking lot east of Baum Stadium. Those shuttles will run from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
FINAL
No. 25 Kansas State 3, Arkansas 0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-13)
Attendance: 1,283 | Time: 1:31
Barnhill Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
#RazorStats
• Leaders vs No. 25 Kansas State
o Kills: Danielle Harbin – 13
o Digs: Okiana Valle – 13
o Blocks: Ana Sofia Jusino – 3.0 (0-3)
With her performance against the Wildcats, Harbin has reached double figures in six of the Razorbacks’ past seven matches and in seven outings overall this season. She finished the match with a .312 hitting percentage, good for her third showing of the year with at least 10 kills coupled with a .300 or higher offensive efficiency. Fellow senior Ana Sofia Jusino added five kills and three blocks in the match.
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