Georgia Sweeps Razorbacks, 3-0

Wednesday, November 21

Athens, Ga.

6 p.m.

University of Georgia

14-14, 5-12

Arkansas

11-16, 5-12

Arkansas

Georgia

Photo by: Kristin M. Bradshaw

November 21, 2018 | Volleyball

Box Score Arkansas Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Georgia volleyball team defeated the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in straight sets in a Southeastern Conference (SEC) matchup Wednesday evening in Stegeman Coliseum (25-22, 27-25, 25-22).

"Mallory Hernandez, offensively, was big time," Georgia head coach Tom Black said. "I thought our passing steadied out and our serving pressure got tougher as it went on, so those things helped also. We just want to keep getting better every match. I think this was a by-product of all the work we have done, and we have one more day to try and play our best volleyball."

Freshman Mallory Hernandez recorded a season-high 19 kills, tying a Georgia rally-scoring record in three sets. It was her seventh double-digit kill performance of the season and third in the last four matches. Rachel Ritchie followed in the kills category with 13, her 23^rddouble-digit kill match this season.

As a team, Georgia put up 10 team blocks, only the sixth time this season the Bulldogs had double-digit team blocks. Majesti Bass led the Bulldogs' defense on the net with six blocks.

Libero Caroline Ostman earned a career-high 18 digs in Wednesday's matchup.

After exchanging the first few points, the opening set quickly turned into a set of runs for both sides. First, a three-point run by Georgia put the Bulldogs ahead 6-3 only to be followed by four-straight from the Razorbacks. A 4-0 Arkansas run later put the Razorbacks ahead by one, 13-12 but Georgia responded with three to recapture a 15-13 lead. The next four went to Arkansas, giving Arkansas the two-point advantage, 17-15. Another 4-0 run put Georgia in position to take the set, 22-20. Hernandez's ninth kill of the opening set sealed the stanza for Georgia, 25-22.

The second set saw the Razorbacks up early, 11-9. A 9-0 run by Georgia, capped by Ritchie's second service ace, put the Bulldogs ahead, 18-11. Arkansas immediately responded with five-straight points to slice the lead to two and force a timeout from the Georgia bench, 18-16. Georgia won the next two points to reach the 20-point plateau; however, Arkansas used four-straight to knot the set 20, forcing another Bulldog timeout. The Bulldogs drew set point, 24-22, before the set was sent into extra points. The sixth team block, this one by Bass and Donovan, closed the set, 27-25, and widened Georgia's lead to 2-0 in the match. Ritchie had six kills in the second set while Hernandez added four to bring her match total to 13.

Georgia notched the first point in the third set before back-and-forth play with the Razorbacks had the set tied at six. The Bulldogs held the advantage for the rest of the contest to wrap up the sweep with Hernandez's 19^thkill, 25-22.

The Georgia Bulldogs will conclude the 2018 season hosting Mississippi State in Stegeman Coliseum on Friday at 7 p.m. ET. The evening will include the recognition of five seniors Majesti Bass, Sydney Gilliam, Katie Houser, Anna Kate Karstens and Caroline Ostman.