UT Arlington Slips by Little Rock in Series Opener

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock served up a season-high 10 aces and posted a season-high 11 blocks but errors plagued the Trojans in a 3-1 loss to UT Arlington in the series opener Friday morning at the Jack Stephens Center.
 
FINAL | UTA 3, Little Rock 1 | 20-25, 25-19, 25-20, 28-26 | Box Score | PDF
 
Despite a hot start – Little Rock claimed a 25-20 opening set win – the Trojans would let UT Arlington (1-0, 1-0 Sun Belt) in the match. Miscues plagued the host Trojans (1-6, 1-5) as Little Rock hit just .142 with a season-high 28 errors, half of which resulted in UT Arlington's 14 total blocks.
 
The errors allowed UTA to get to a 7-0 start to the fourth set before Little Rock rallied back. The Trojans would force extra points for the fifth time this season before UTA clinched the match with an ace from Kylee Kapp, one of 13 in the match for Arlington.
 
There was youthful vitality in the Trojan attack as Nicole Medlin paced the Trojans as she matched a season-high 10 kills while the freshman registered a season-best .381 hitting percentage while Zanobia Willis post a .312 hitting percentage. Willis posted a season-best six blocks.
 
Brooke Townsend, who committed eight of UTA's 10 reception errors, led the Mavs with 17 kills and a .317 hitting percentage. Alli Wells led all players with 33 digs.
 
Behind the Box Score

• Little Rock hit .195 in the opening set and had three different players lead the way with three kills.
• Brooke Townsend put down six of her 17 kills in the opening frame.
• Nedima Kamberovic led the Trojans with five kills in the second frame but hit -.071 in the set overall.
• The Trojans were out-hit in the second set, .462 to .095.
• Nicole Medlin posted a team-leading three kills in the third set with one block.
• Little Rock hit a match-low .077 in the third set.
• The fourth set featured nine ties and four lead changes.
• Little Rock recorded 20 digs in the final set including eight from Leigh Maher.

 
Leaders by the Numbers
Kills: 10, Nedima Kamberovic, Nicole Medlin
Assists: 22, Nathalia Vigineski
Service Aces: 3, Laura Jansen, Nathalia Vigineski
Digs: 25, Leigh Maher
Blocks: 6, Zanobia Willis
 
Notables

• Little Rock served up a season-high 10 aces in the match.
• Six different Little Rock players were responsible for an ace.
• The Trojans also posted a season-high 11 total blocks in the match.
• Little Rock has now gone to extra points in five sets this season after the fourth set finished at 28-26.
• Laura Jansen tied a season- and career-high three aces in the match.
• Nathalia Vigineski tied a season-high three aces in the contest.
• Nicole Medlin posted a season- and career-high matching 10 kills while her .381 hitting percentage is a new high mark.
• Zanobia Willis posted a new season- and career-high six blocks.
• Willis also recorded a season- and career-high eight kills.

 
For the latest information on Little Rock Volleyball, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockVB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
 
#LittleRocksTeam