Volleyball roadtrip goes through Mississippi State, Alabama
Nic Schluterman
Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: Sports
The Arkansas volleyball team (6-17, 3-10 Southeastern Conference) is mired in one of the worst seasons in program history, and is coming off one of the most lopsided losses in program history.
"We have been talking about consistency throughout the year, and last week was one of those weeks of inconsistency," said first-year Arkansas head coach Robert Pulliza.
All Pulliza has to do tonight is look across the net and see that things could be worse.
Mississippi State (6-10, 1-14 SEC) has not won since September, a span of 14 matches.
The one win came against Auburn, who in turn claimed their only SEC win of the season two weeks ago against the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State has an anemic offense that ranks last in the league in hitting percentage, kills and assists.
The defense is equally stark, a distant last in the SEC in digs.
One month ago, Arkansas claimed its only conference sweep of the season by making quick work of the Bulldogs at home. Hog senior Yun Tang notched a career-best ten kills that afternoon.
That result snapped a three-match losing streak for the Hogs. Before that, Arkansas had won against Mississippi State in 26 straight previous meetings.
Tonight's match at Mississippi State is at 7 p.m.
"I think we match up physically pretty well with [the Bulldogs]," Pulliza said. "If we can pass the ball, I think we will be in the match."
The Hog road trip continues on Sunday with a match at Alabama (13-11, 6-9 SEC).
The Crimson Tide have undergone a mercurial campaign, most recently scoring a five-set upset at Georgia in their last outing.
Alabama has a division-best 5-3 league record on the road this season, but the team is 2.5 matches back in the West by virtue of a 1-6 conference mark in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama took a four-set match in Fayetteville earlier in the year. Hog freshman Kelli Stipanovich paced the Hog attack that night with 15 kills.
Alabama junior Brooke Webster is the team's standout, tallying a league-leading four kills per set this season. Her 22 kills against Arkansas in October were the most surrendered by the Hogs this year.
"Anytime you have an athlete like [Webster], you know you are going to be in any match," Pulliza said.
Arkansas' last match was a blowout loss at home to No. 19 Kentucky, a team made up almost entirely of recruits lured by Pulliza during his four-year stint as assistant coach there.
"That's the kind of athletes we are looking to bring in to Arkansas," Pulliza said.
Pulliza is in the middle of his first recruiting cycle as a head coach at Arkansas, which he hopes will bring in three freshmen to next year's squad.
The departing seniors he will have to replace are Lawrence, the team's second most prolific scorer this season, Tang, his leading blocker, and top setter Caira Dortch.
Both matches this weekend can be heard on KXUA, 88.3 FM.
"We have been talking about consistency throughout the year, and last week was one of those weeks of inconsistency," said first-year Arkansas head coach Robert Pulliza.
All Pulliza has to do tonight is look across the net and see that things could be worse.
Mississippi State (6-10, 1-14 SEC) has not won since September, a span of 14 matches.
The one win came against Auburn, who in turn claimed their only SEC win of the season two weeks ago against the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State has an anemic offense that ranks last in the league in hitting percentage, kills and assists.
The defense is equally stark, a distant last in the SEC in digs.
One month ago, Arkansas claimed its only conference sweep of the season by making quick work of the Bulldogs at home. Hog senior Yun Tang notched a career-best ten kills that afternoon.
That result snapped a three-match losing streak for the Hogs. Before that, Arkansas had won against Mississippi State in 26 straight previous meetings.
Tonight's match at Mississippi State is at 7 p.m.
"I think we match up physically pretty well with [the Bulldogs]," Pulliza said. "If we can pass the ball, I think we will be in the match."
The Hog road trip continues on Sunday with a match at Alabama (13-11, 6-9 SEC).
The Crimson Tide have undergone a mercurial campaign, most recently scoring a five-set upset at Georgia in their last outing.
Alabama has a division-best 5-3 league record on the road this season, but the team is 2.5 matches back in the West by virtue of a 1-6 conference mark in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama took a four-set match in Fayetteville earlier in the year. Hog freshman Kelli Stipanovich paced the Hog attack that night with 15 kills.
Alabama junior Brooke Webster is the team's standout, tallying a league-leading four kills per set this season. Her 22 kills against Arkansas in October were the most surrendered by the Hogs this year.
"Anytime you have an athlete like [Webster], you know you are going to be in any match," Pulliza said.
Arkansas' last match was a blowout loss at home to No. 19 Kentucky, a team made up almost entirely of recruits lured by Pulliza during his four-year stint as assistant coach there.
"That's the kind of athletes we are looking to bring in to Arkansas," Pulliza said.
Pulliza is in the middle of his first recruiting cycle as a head coach at Arkansas, which he hopes will bring in three freshmen to next year's squad.
The departing seniors he will have to replace are Lawrence, the team's second most prolific scorer this season, Tang, his leading blocker, and top setter Caira Dortch.
Both matches this weekend can be heard on KXUA, 88.3 FM.
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