Georgia Drops Three-Set Match to Razorbacks

Friday, February 5

Athens, Ga.

8:30 p.m.

University of Georgia

4-6,4-6SEC

Arkansas

8-4,8-4SEC

Arkansas

Georgia

February 05, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score

ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Georgia women's volleyball team fell in three sets to the Arkansas Razorbacks Friday at Stegeman Coliseum, 3-0 (24-26, 19-25, 23-25).

Sophomore Amber Stivrins paced the Bulldogs' offense with 11 kills, her eighth double-digit kill match of the 2020-21 season. Senior Rachel Ritchie picked up nine kills with eight digs, falling just short of a double-double.

Defensively, sophomore Kacie Evans, in her first career start as the Bulldogs' libero, tallied 11 digs. Senior setter Brynn Chandler also recorded 11 digs with 12 assists and three of Georgia's four service aces. At the net, junior Kayla Rivera recorded five solo blocks, tying a career best. As a team, the Bulldogs out-blocked Arkansas for the second night in a row, 8-7.

Arkansas (8-4, 8-4) started the match with five-straight points to earn an early advantage on the Bulldogs. Still down five, 19-14, the Bulldogs rattled off an 8-2 run to take a 23-22 lead, their first of the match. A kill from Stivrins drew set point for Georgia, 24-23, but Arkansas rebounded to win the next three and halt Georgia's comeback, winning the set 26-24. Stivrins had six first-set kills.

Down 6-2 in the second frame, a 7-1 Bulldogs run opened a two-point lead for Georgia, capped by back-to-back kills by Ritchie. The teams went back-and-forth until an 8-2 run put the Razorbacks ahead 20-15. Georgia didn't go quietly, cutting the lead to two, 21-19, but four-straight from Arkansas sealed the second set, 25-19, and the two-set lead in the match.

Down two sets to none, the Bulldogs came out with a 6-1 lead in the third set. With the Bulldogs up 13-7, Arkansas used a timeout. The Razorbacks used a 5-2 run to cut into Georgia's lead and force a timeout from the Bulldog bench, 15-12. With Georgia still ahead 19-17, four-straight points put Arkansas in front heading down the stretch, 21-19. Tied at 23, back-to-back kills from Maggie Cartwright sealed the match for Arkansas, 25-23.

Georgia (4-6, 4-6) hosts No. 3 Kentucky for two matches next Saturday and Sunday. First serve is set for 3 p.m. both days from Stegeman Coliseum.

Goergia Women's Volleyball Head Coach Tom Black
On what did and didn't work for Georgia ...
"I will learn a lot more as I break stuff down. It was more of a consistent effort for sure. Yeah, I mean it just happens, so I'll have to break down the film and stats."

Georgia performances that stood out...
"I don't think anyone played exceptionally well by any means. I thought the effort was better than yesterday though."

On Georgia's improvement for the next match...
"Obviously serve-receive, we were bleeding points there. Our block defense is a little tougher than our offense. We execute our offense a little better. We have got to work on everything and get better for sure."