Little Rock Wins Five-Set Thriller Over UT Arlington

LITTLE ROCK – It took five sets, but Little Rock volleyball (7-6, 3-0 Sun Belt) picked up the 3-2 win (25-18, 22-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-13) over UT Arlington (11-5, 2-2) on Sunday at the Jack Stephens Center.
 
With Sunday's win and an LIU Brooklyn loss, Little Rock now has the nation's longest winning streak against conference opponents at 26 matches.
 
Edina Selimovic led the Trojans with a career-high 18 kills while Carolee Dillard tallied her second-most kills in a match this season with 14. Dillard also tied her season-high for blocks with eight (two solo and six assisted).
 
Earning double-doubles were setter Megan Mathis and outside hitter Marina Avram. Mathis finished with season-highs for assists (51) and digs (11) as she earned her first double-double of the season and sixth of her career. Avram tied a career-high with 13 kills and had 10 digs as she recorded her second double-double of the season.
 
Senior libero Priscila Almeida ended the match with 35 digs, tying for the sixth-most in a match in program history.
 
Tied 2-2 entering the deciding fifth set, UT Arlington started the frame with a 4-0 lead before a kill by Veronica Marin got Little Rock on the board. The Trojans eventually tied the set at 7-7 with a block from Dillard and Marin. UTA came back with three unanswered points on two kills and a block to take a 10-7 lead. Little Rock fought its way back into the set as the Trojans tied the frame once again at 12-12 on a block by Selimovic and Taylor Lindberg. A Selimovic kill gave the Trojans their first lead of the set at 13-12. With match point at 14-13, Selimovic picked up her 18th kill of the match to shut the door on the Mavericks.
 
After Little Rock started the fourth set with an 8-4 lead, UT Arlington took control for the remainder of the set. Down 9-6, the Mavericks went on to score six straight points before a Trojan timeout at 12-6. The closest Little Rock got to UTA's lead was at 23-22 after a Maverick attack error. Still down 24-23, a kill by UT Arlington's Zhanell Geathers tied the match at 2-2.
 
The Trojans began the third frame with a convincing 10-3 lead after running off eight consecutive points. After a trio of points by UT Arlington, Little Rock once again took a seven-point lead at 13-6 with a kill and two aces by Selimovic. The closest UTA came to Little Rock's lead was at 21-18 after a kill by Qiana Canete. From there, Little Rock went on to win the set 25-20.
 
Little Rock and UT Arlington started the second set with a 10-10 tie before the Mavericks rattled off four straight points on two aces, a kill and a Trojan attack error to take a 14-10 lead. Down 17-12, Little Rock went on a 9-2 run to take the lead at 21-19. The slight advantage didn't last long as came back with five straight points to take set point at 24-21. After a Trojan kill by Dillard, UTA's Canete sealed the set with a kill of her own.
 
With the Mavericks up 11-10 to begin the match, the Trojans scored five consecutive points on a kill, a block and three UTA attack errors to take a 15-11 lead. The Mavs would bring the deficit to one point at 16-15, but Little Rock controlled the set the rest of the way as the Trojans finished the frame on a 9-2 run.
 
Selimovic added a season-high four aces and hit a team-high .351 for the match. After Sunday, Selimovic continues to lead the Sun Belt with a .392 hitting percentage and has the most aces per set in conference play at 0.64.
 
Dillard's eight total blocks now make her the Sun Belt's leading blocker at 1.20 per set.
 
In addition to her double-double, Avram tied career-highs for blocks and aces with three and two, respectively.
 
Marin ended the match with seven kills and five block assists, and Miona Milovanovic had four kills.
 
Freshman Sydnee Martin finished with a career-high 14 digs while Kelsey Leech tallied 11.
 
As a team, the Trojans set and tied a few season-highs. Their 59 kills, 176 attempts, 54 assists and 86 digs set new season-highs while their eight aces tied the season-high.
 
With 12 total blocks against UT Arlington, Little Rock is now the best blocking team in conference play this season at 3.09 per set.
 
Little Rock returns to action on Thursday in San Marcos, Texas, for their only match of the regular season against Texas State at 6:30 p.m.