NC State volleyball lost 3-2 in a close five-set game against Arkansas at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia to wrap up the 2019 ACC-SEC Challenge.
After losing to Georgia by a score of 3-1, the Wolfpack’s (4-7) weekend didn’t get any better against the Razorbacks (6-6). The Pack started off behind the Razorbacks in the first two sets, losing the first one 25-22 and the second in overtime 29-27. The Wolfpack managed to collect itself to win the third and fourth sets, 25-19 and 25-23, respectively. The fifth set was a fair win to the Razorbacks 15-10.
The first set had the Razorback’s using their momentum to turn a 4-0 run into a lead 12-7. The Razorbacks then held a steady lead for the rest of the set, leaving the Wolfpack trying to overcome the point gap. Despite its efforts, the Pack never got closer than by trailing two points behind at 23-21.
Defensively, senior middle blocker Lauryn Terry and redshirt junior middle blocker Jessica Kemp held the team together with a combined total of 11 blocks. The Pack was only short by three blocks to match Arkansas.
The Wolfpack was off to a good start in the second set, finally waking up after the first one, 7-3. Holding on to its lead, the Pack soon found the Razorbacks clawing their way back until the score was tied 16-16.
The Pack was able to hold the lead for a little longer when freshman outside hitter Daniela McDonald and sophomore outside hitter Jade Parchment were able to each score a kill, 18-16. The lead didn’t last though and soon the Pack found itself tied beyond match point at 27-27. The Razorbacks were able to score the last two points necessary to have a 2-0 set advantage.
In the backcourt, the Wolfpack was nearly on par with the Razorback’s thanks to redshirt sophomore libero Kaylee Frazier’s tenacity. With 26 digs, Frazier not only led the Pack but outdid the Razorback’s libero by six digs.
The set advantage for the Razorbacks didn’t put out the fire in the Wolfpack as the team kept the score tight in the third set until the Pack finally caught wind of its own momentum. With an 8-1 run, the Pack secured its lead from trailing behind by two points to leading 22-17.
Not only did the Wolfpack secure the lead but it managed to shut down the Razorbacks at 19 points before the Pack won its first set of the night with two kills from Kemp to seal the deal.
Freshman setter Nina Sharpton had the most assists in the game with 46, but the Razorbacks had a more distributed play style that ultimately helped them to divide the work in order to top the Wolfpack.
The Razorbacks may have had the lead at the beginning of the fourth set, 11-8, but it wouldn’t be long before the Pack found itself on top again at 15-13.
Unlike the third set, the Pack had to fight hard to keep its lead as the Razorbacks were close to tying the game at set point, 24-23, but Kemp once again closed out the set with a kill, assisted from Sharpton.
Ultimately, the game was in the Razorback’s favor due to their offense, which was too much for the Pack to keep up with. Razorback’s freshman outside hitters Jillian Gillen and Maggie Cartwright had a combined total of 41 kills compared to junior opposite hitter Melissa Evans and Parchment’s leading total of 34.
The fifth set began and ended in the Razorback’s favor, starting with an early 7-4 lead. A block from Evans and Terry helped to close the gap 13-10 but it wasn’t enough before the Razorbacks finished the game and dealt the Pack its seventh loss of the season.
The Wolfpack will return to the court against Furman in Greenville this Sunday at 2 p.m. for the Pack’s final game before the ACC season begins.
