Hogs Host Gamecocks, Aggies for SEC Opening Weekend

The No. 16 Razorbacks get conference play going this week with a pair of matches at Barnhill Arena.

Arkansas takes on South Carolina on Friday at 6 p.m. and Texas A&M on Sunday at 3 p.m. in its first two SEC contests of the season. It’s the first conference match for both the Hogs and Gamecocks, while the Aggies kicked off their slate with a sweep of Mississippi State on Wednesday evening.

The Hogs are coming off a 3-0 weekend in New York that brought their non-conference record to a final total of 10-2, with the team’s only losses so far to No. 1 Wisconsin.

Graduate outside hitter Maggie Cartwright had a historic three outings as she surpassed 1,000 career kills and led the offense with 40 on the weekend. She was named the Red Storm Invitational MVP for her efforts and also earned her first ever SEC honor as Co-Offensive Player of the Week.

Junior setter Hannah Hogue continues to pass the Arkansas offense nicely and racked up 113 assists, 22 digs, and four aces in New York, which garnered her SEC Setter of the Week honors for the second time this season.

Friday’s conference opener will be broadcast live on SEC Network, and Sunday’s match will be streamed on SEC Network+.

Scouting the Series: South Carolina

• Friday’s match is SEC opener for both teams
• South Carolina is currently second in the SEC and eighth in the nation in blocks per set with 2.90
• Oby Anadi is registering 1.53 blocks per set, second in the SEC and tied for 10th in the NCAA

Stat Leaders – South Carolina

• Kills/set: Lauren McCutcheon | 2.81 | 90
• Assists/set: Claire Wilson | 5.13 | 123
• Digs/set: Morgan Carter | 4.46 | 156
• Blocks/set: Oby Anadi | 1.53 | 39
• Aces/set: Sydney Floyd | 0.35 | 8

Scouting the Series: Texas A&M

• First season at the helm for A&M head coach Jamie Morrison
• The Aggies began the season on a seven match win streak and one of two losses was to a ranked Houston team
• A&M leads the conference in blocks per set with 3.03, sixth in the country, and Ifenna Cos-Okpalla leads the NCAA in blocks per set with 1.95

Stat Leaders – Texas A&M

• Kills/set: Caroline Meuth | 3.29 | 125
• Assists/set: Nisa Buzlutepe | 6.74 | 256
• Digs/set: Lauren Hogan | 2.57 | 90
• Blocks/set: Ifenna Cos-Okpalla | 1.95 | 72
• Aces/set: Margot Manning | 0.45 | 17

Stat Leaders – Arkansas

• Kills/set: Jill Gillen | 4.16 | 183
• Assists/set: Hannah Hogue | 11.20 | 493
• Digs/set: Courtney Jackson | 3.82 | 168
• Blocks/set: Zoi Evans | 1.02 | 42
• Aces/set: Jill Gillen/Hannah Hogue | 0.48 | 21

More Information

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