FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Sophomore Erykah Lovett and redshirt junior Emily Merrick recorded double-digit kill outings for the Lady Vols Friday night in Barnhill Arena, but UT was unable to overcome Arkansas, falling in three sets (18-25, 22-25, 23-25).
Lovett led Tennessee and had a match-high 14 kills on a .275 hitting percentage. The Newnan, Georgia, native finished with her seventh double-double of the season as she picked up 10 digs.
Merrick came off the bench in the first set before starting sets two and three and hit .364 for the match. The lefty scored 11 kills and added five digs.
Tennessee (10-9, 4-3 SEC) out-blocked the Razorbacks seven to three but struggled to keep them off balance as the Hogs hit .333 on the night. Jillian Gillen and Taylor Head led the Arkansas attack with 12 and 10 kills, respectively.
Arkansas (12-5, 3-4 SEC) started quickly in the opening set as it hit .300 and put away 18 kills to win, 25-18. Gillen tallied six kills with Head notching four, while four more Razorbacks ended the first set with at least one kill.
UT posted five blocks in the set but struggled to find its rhythm on the offensive side, hitting just .139. Lovett led the squad with five kills in the frame.
Set two was a closer affair as UT found its footing on offense but was unable to slow down the Hogs as they took the frame, 25-22. Merrick started the set for the Lady Vols and posted a set-high six kills on 10 swings. Lovett was not far behind with four kills, while Jasmine Brooks scored three.
The Razorbacks continued to spread their attack around as six players notched at least a kill, led by Hailey Dirrigl, Gillen and Head with four. As a team, Arkansas hit .405 and tallied 17 kills.
Tennessee out-hit Arkansas in the third set – .303 to .300 – but finished with one less kill. The Lady Vols managed 14 kills as a team and were led by Lovett with five. Merrick took six swings in the set and put down three kills.
The Hogs again had six players record a kill led by Tatum Shipes with four. As a group, the Razorbacks notched 15 kills and committed three fewer errors overall than UT, winning the third set 25-23.
UP NEXT
Tennessee and Arkansas meet again on Saturday at Barnhill Arena with the first serve scheduled for 6 p.m. ET. The match can be streamed on SECN+ or through the ESPN app.
Lovett led Tennessee and had a match-high 14 kills on a .275 hitting percentage. The Newnan, Georgia, native finished with her seventh double-double of the season as she picked up 10 digs.
Merrick came off the bench in the first set before starting sets two and three and hit .364 for the match. The lefty scored 11 kills and added five digs.
Tennessee (10-9, 4-3 SEC) out-blocked the Razorbacks seven to three but struggled to keep them off balance as the Hogs hit .333 on the night. Jillian Gillen and Taylor Head led the Arkansas attack with 12 and 10 kills, respectively.
Arkansas (12-5, 3-4 SEC) started quickly in the opening set as it hit .300 and put away 18 kills to win, 25-18. Gillen tallied six kills with Head notching four, while four more Razorbacks ended the first set with at least one kill.
UT posted five blocks in the set but struggled to find its rhythm on the offensive side, hitting just .139. Lovett led the squad with five kills in the frame.
Set two was a closer affair as UT found its footing on offense but was unable to slow down the Hogs as they took the frame, 25-22. Merrick started the set for the Lady Vols and posted a set-high six kills on 10 swings. Lovett was not far behind with four kills, while Jasmine Brooks scored three.
The Razorbacks continued to spread their attack around as six players notched at least a kill, led by Hailey Dirrigl, Gillen and Head with four. As a team, Arkansas hit .405 and tallied 17 kills.
Tennessee out-hit Arkansas in the third set – .303 to .300 – but finished with one less kill. The Lady Vols managed 14 kills as a team and were led by Lovett with five. Merrick took six swings in the set and put down three kills.
The Hogs again had six players record a kill led by Tatum Shipes with four. As a group, the Razorbacks notched 15 kills and committed three fewer errors overall than UT, winning the third set 25-23.
UP NEXT
Tennessee and Arkansas meet again on Saturday at Barnhill Arena with the first serve scheduled for 6 p.m. ET. The match can be streamed on SECN+ or through the ESPN app.
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