Fifth-set rally caps win over Alabama

By UA Media Relations

Posted: October 11, 2009 at 7:25 a.m.

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FAYETTEVILLE — After winning the fourth set, the University of Arkansas rallied from an early deficit in the fifth to cap a thrilling 21-25, 25-21, 14-25, 28-26, 24-22 victory over Alabama Friday night at Barnhill Arena. Four Razorbacks had double-digit kill totals, led by 21 putaways from Jasmine Norton and an unexpected but welcomed outburst from fellow freshman Kendall Cleveland who finished the match with a careerhigh 12 kills. The largest crowd of the season, 1,034 fans, witnessed the comefrom-behind win.

Arkansas (9-9, 3-4 SEC) fell behind early in the fifth set after shaky passing led to easy points for the Crimson Tide. The visitors led by five, 8-3, when the teams switched sides of the court, and stretched their lead to 12-6 after a block by Ashley Frazier and Alyssa Meuth.

Cleveland started the rally with a kill from the outside and then won five consecutive points at the service line. Alabama (6-11, 4-3) tried to stop the momentum twice with timeouts but the Razorbacks did not let down, eventually tying the match, 12-12, when Allison Johnson, in for a defensive presence, knocked an overpass to the ground for her only kill of the match. The teams traded errors to keep the score tied, but a joint block by Norton and Janeliss Torres-Lopez brought the Razorbacks to their first of eight match points.

The Crimson Tide saved the first five pointsbefore gaining a match point of their own, leading 19-18, but Cleveland terminated an extended rally with a kill to even the score once again. The division rivals then traded match points. With her team down, 21-20, Norton smacked her 20th kill of the match to keep the Razorbacks alive.

After wasting another chance to seal the match at 22-21, Arkansas benefited from their opponents miscues. A ball-handling error by Alabama setter Stephanie Riley gave the Razorbacks a 23-22 advantage. Then an attack by Brooks Webster sailed long on Arkansas’ eighth, and final, match point to seal the five-set victory. Norton tallied nine kills in the decisive set.

For the third consecutive match, Norton posted a double-double performance with 13 digs to go along with her kill total. Kristin Seaton added 11 kills and Amanda Anderson chipped in 10 against the Crimson Tide. Senior setter Lindsay Scanlan bested her previous career high with 60 assists Friday night and libero Phoebe Bautista led the defensive charge, matching her career best with 27 digs.

In the first set, Alabama put on a hitting display that produced a .593 team hitting percentage with 17 kills with just one error. The Crimson Tide led by as many as five, 16-11, after a kill by Webster. Arkansas closed the gap and after a kill by Torres-Lopez, trailed by one, 21-20. The visitors responded by winning four of the next five points to secure the first set and take the early advantage.

Sports, Pages 11 on 10/11/2009

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