By Charlie Rath
Lady Vol volleyball is on a roll with a four-game winning streak in SEC play.
For their sixth SEC match of the year, the Lady Vols traveled to Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville and defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 3-1. Each set was competitive (25-23, 19-25, 25-19, 25-20) as the Razorbacks kept the match tight.
However, their efforts were not enough to stop the No. 9 Lady Vols from extending their winning streak to four.
Winning a close first set and dropping the second, the Lady Vols were on and off throughout the match. They showed flashes of a dominant offensive front but struggled to maintain consistency. This changed in the final set when Tennessee broke through after the game was tied 19-19. The Lady Vols went on an impressive 6-1 run to finish the match at 25-20.
A clutch challenge late in the fourth set flipped the score from 20-20 to 21-19 following a Lady Vols error, keeping the game-ending run intact.
Despite Tennessee’s inconsistent stretches, Jalyn Stout remained a constant threat. Stout turned heads by posting a season-high 19 kills and delivering the final point to close out the fourth set. She also showcased elite efficiency with a .455 hitting percentage.
Stout continues to excel alongside Caroline Kerr, who recorded 47 assists, six kills without an attack error, and two aces. Kerr’s fourth-set ace allowed the Lady Vols to pull away and secure the match.
This squad still has room to improve with nine remaining SEC games. The Lady Vols sit at 13-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play heading into their matchup in Oklahoma this Sunday.
UP NEXT: The Lady Vols continue their road trip against the Sooners in Norman on Sunday at 3 p.m. on SEC Network+.