Rutherford’s Career-High 26 Kills Knock Off Arkansas in Four

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Junior reverse Reagan Rutherford had a career-high 26 kills Friday evening because the No. 19 Kentucky Volleyball workforce secured a 3-1 (18-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-23) four-set win over Arkansas on the street.

Rutherford was only one block away from a triple-double because the Missouri Metropolis, Texas native lauded the 26 kills, 14 digs and 9 blocks in Friday evening’s contest – undoubtedly the perfect match of her profession within the Kentucky.

UK misplaced the opening set 25-18, hitting simply .083 for the body however rallied to show issues round within the later phases of the match to shut out the Razorbacks in 4. Rutherford was the one Wildcat participant to hit in double-figures for the competition, however steadiness carried the day for UK with Lamb and Azhani Tealer each logging 9 kills. Friday evening marked the return for Azhani Tealer after lacking the final 4 matches with a shoulder damage. Tealer hit .474 with 9 aforementioned kills, no errors, eight blocks and a dig.

Bella Bell had a terrific evening for UK with 10 blocks, killing six balls and likewise tallying a dig. Her 10 blocks had been a big a part of UK’s defensive evening the place the Wildcats held Arkansas to a .153 hitting share for the night and below .100 in units three and 4.

Emma Grome had one other spectacular evening, logging 50 assists with a kill, 5 digs and 4 blocks within the contest.

The Wildcats are actually 9-5 on the 2022 season total and sit 4-1 in Southeastern Convention play. The 4-1 report is presently tied for first within the convention standings.

Kentucky and Arkansas conclude their two-match SEC collection on Saturday in Fayetteville at 6 p.m. ET stay on the SEC Community+, ESPN+ and the ESPN app.

Set One

Arkansas got here out with a commanding lead within the opening set, by no means letting UK nearer than two factors from a 4-1 margin to begin the match. Again-to-back blocking errors and assault errors towards the Wildcats pushed the Razorbacks result in 15-10 on the media timeout, its largest lead of the match to that time. Kentucky burned its first timeout down seven, a match-high quantity, at 20-13 with the Wildcats solely hitting .055 on the time of that stoppage. UK clawed again within the set to inside six however acquired no nearer as Arkansas convincingly closed out the set, 25-18. Kentucky hit .083 within the body with 5 kills from Reagan Rutherford because the offensive vibrant spot for UK. Jill Gillen had seven kills on 15 swings within the opener for Arkansas to steer all gamers within the match.

Set Two

Kentucky was way more scientific to start with of the second set, leaping out to a 6-3 lead on the arm of junior reverse Reagan Rutherford. Arkansas went on a 4-0 run to re-take the lead at 7-6 however Kentucky responded properly profitable 4 in a row itself to buoy a 10-7 lead. Azhani Tealer’s fourth kill of the match put Kentucky up 11-8 and a service ace for Eleanor Beavin climbed the lead up a ladder rung to 4 factors and Arkansas known as its first timeout down, 12-8. A Bella Bell block after an prolonged rally gave Kentucky a 19-13 lead and prompted Kentucky into its second timeout of the set as UK’s lead ballooned to a match-high six factors within the set. A kill by Erin Lamb, her sixth of the evening, ended the set with Kentucky leveling the match at 25-18. UK hit .303 for the set, whereas holding Arkansas to only a .179 clip, a a lot better efficiency within the second by Kentucky. Rutherford had 10 kills on 20 swings by way of the opening two frames to steer all gamers within the match.

Set Three

It was some of the spectacular begins to a set all season for Kentucky within the third as UK jetted out to a 10-2 lead with an 8-0 Audrey Whitworth service run and 5 kills or blocks from Bella Bell inside that run to open up the lead. Arkansas known as a timeout when it was 7-2 and eventually constructed some momentum in direction of the center of the body, closing the hole to simply three factors at 12-9 on back-to-back 3-0 runs separated by a hitting error. Reagan Rutherford saved the hole at 4 with a pleasant cross-court kill and it acquired prolonged again to a 15-10 margin because of an Azhani Tealer kill from an overpass to thwart the UA momentum. Arkansas took the lead for the primary time within the set, climbing all the way in which again from 10-2 down to say an 18-17 lead and UK known as its last timeout down a degree after a 5-0 Razorback scoring run. Kentucky received three of the subsequent 4 factors out of the timeout to make it a 20-18 lead for the Wildcats and Arkansas elected to name its last timeout down a pair. Azhani Tealer’s fifth kill of the match closed out the set as she went offspeed from the proper pin and put the capper on a 25-21 Kentucky third-set win to provide UK the 2-1 lead within the match and positioned the Wildcats in entrance for the primary time all night.

Set 4

Much like set three, Kentucky got here bolting out of the gates in spectacular vogue, leaping out to an 8-2 result in get the early edge on the Hogs. However, additionally just like set three, Arkansas fought again and clawed its manner proper again into the thick of issues with an extended chippy run to climb to inside simply three factors on the media timeout, 15-12. Erin Lamb’s ninth termination of the night made it a two-point lead at 18-16 after Arkansas lower the deficit to 1, its closest margin because it was 3-2 within the early elements of the set. Arkansas then known as its first timeout of the set down by three at 19-16 following a block from Azhani Tealer and Emma Grome, their third tandem-block of the match and the sixth for Tealer on the night. Kentucky then acquired to set level at 24-21 and fought off two factors from Arkansas to safe the 3-1 win on Bella Bell’s sixth kill of the match.

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