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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Hit Road for Arkansas, Missouri
10/5/2017 | Volleyball
Complete Notes (PDF) | Live Stats: Arkansas | Missouri | Watch: Arkansas (SECN+) | Missouri (SECN)
OXFORD, Miss. - Seeking to maintain their best start in SEC play, the Ole Miss volleyball team hits the road for a pair of matches this weekend at Arkansas and Missouri.
The Rebels (12-5, 3-1) and Razorbacks will face off Friday at 7 p.m. from Barnhill Arena. The match can be seen on the WatchESPN app. Sunday's match at Missouri will be televised nationally on the SEC Network at 12 p.m. from the Hearnes Center.
Quick Hits...
รโข Ole Miss went 2-0 last week with a 3-0 win at Mississippi State and a 3-2 win at home against Georgia.
รโข This marks the best start in SEC play since 2010.
รโข The Rebels lead the SEC in digs per set at 17.04 and rank second in opponent hitting percentage (.158).
รโข Several Rebels rank among the league leaders in various categories. Lexi Thompson ranks 10th (3.22) in kills per set. Caroline Adams ranks sixth in the SEC in digs per set (4.10) and Nayo Warnell ranks seventh in hitting percentage (.353) and Emily Stroup ranks 10th in points per set (3.65).
รโข Kate Gibson leads the SEC with 12 double-doubles and owns 37 for her career. Lexi Thompson owns the career record (45) at Ole Miss and ranks second in the SEC with 11 double-doubles.
A win would mean...
A win against Arkansas would be the fourth in a row for the Rebels in the series and second straight in Fayetteville. A win against Missouri would end a four-match losing streak to the Tigers and give the Rebels their first win in Columbia.
Scouting Arkansas...
Arkansas comes into Friday's match 11-5 overall and 1-3 in the SEC. They swept Tennessee to open conference play before dropping three straight including a five-setter to No. 1 Florida and Alabama. In their most recent match, the Razorbacks dropped a 3-0 match at Auburn. The Razorbacks are led by redshirt senior Pilar Victoria, who leads the SEC and the NCAA with 6.02 kills per set. She owns a .312 attack percentage.
Rebels vs. Razorbacks...
Arkansas leads the all-time series 29-12, but the Rebels have won three straight including two consecutive five-setters. Ole Miss held off the Razorbacks rally last year for a 3-2 win (25-15, 20-25, 25-14, 20-25, 15-10) in their only meeting in Oxford. The last time the two teams met in Fayetteville (2015), the Rebels won 15-13 in the fifth set.
Scouting Missouri...
Missouri enters the weekend at 10-7 overall and 3-1 in the SEC. The Tigers have won three straight after dropping their opener to No. 10 Kentucky. In their last match, Missouri beat Alabama 3-0. SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week Alyssa Munlyn leads the Tigers with a .373 hitting percentage and 1.60 blocks per set.
Rebels vs. Tigers...
Missouri holds an 8-4 advantage in the series after winning four straight, including a 3-0 win last year in Columbia. Ole Miss' last win (3-0) in the series came in the first of two meetings in 2014.
Last time out...
The Rebels held off Georgia 3-2 Sunday to improve to 12-5 overall and 3-1 in the SEC, their best league start since 2010. Seniors Kate Gibson and Lexi Thompson and sophomores Emily Stroup and Nayo Warnell combined for 75.5 points to lead the way. Ole Miss led 2-1 in the match and 17-12 in the fourth set, before Georgia went on a 13-5 run to take the set and even the match at 2-2. Gibson, Stroup and Thompson combined for 10 kills in the fifth set as the Rebels won it 15-12 for the win.
Rebels in RPI...
In the first RPI release of the season, the Rebels check in at No. 46. Arkansas comes in at No. 36 and Missouri at No. 35.
For more information on Ole Miss Volleyball, follow the Rebels on Twitter, @OleMissVB, on Facebook at OleMissVolleyball and on Instagram at OleMissVB. Also follow Coach McRoberts on Twitter, @CoachMcRoberts.
