VOLLEYBALL CENTRAL: #22 Arkansas

Oct. 10, 2015

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Volunteers return to Thompson-Boling Arena for their first of three consecutive home SEC matches, starting Sunday against No. 22 Arkansas.

The match starts at 1:30 p.m. Doors open an hour before start time. The match will be streamed on the SEC Network+.

The Vols (16-4, 2-3 SEC) are 6-0 at home this season and 1-0 in conference play at Thompson-Boling Arena, having defeated Alabama last week. UT lost its match on Wednesday 3-1 at LSU. Junior Bri Holmes recorded 22 kills in the loss, tying for the most by a Vol this season.

Arkansas (13-3, 3-1) is coming off its first SEC loss, falling 3-0 Wednesday at No. 20 Kentucky.

This is the first ranked opponent Tennessee has faced this season.

As part of Sunday's Kids Day promotion, a free youth volleyball clinic for ages 12 and under will follow Sunday's match. All registered participants in the clinic will receive a voucher for a free hot dog and drink to be redeemed during the Arkansas match.

For more information or to register for the clinic, email Brooke Richardson at bricha24@vols.utk.edu.

For a few more notes:

THE SERIES

Series: ARK leads 18-13
Last 10: UT leads 6-4
Current Streak: ARK W3
Last Match: Arkansas won 3-1 in UT's 2014 home finale at TBA.
Ranked Opponent: This is UT's first match vs. a ranked opponent this season (0-4 last year)

VILLANO'S 20+ DIG MATCHES

Junior libero Bridgette Villano leads with 4.60 digs per set. She has six 20+ dig matches this season, two in SEC play:

21 against Towson (5 sets)
20 against Eastern Kentucky (3 sets)
27 against Wofford (4 sets)
21 vs. Charleston (4 sets)
28 vs. Auburn (4 sets) (Career High)
23 vs. LSU (4 sets)

DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING

The Vols have out-dug 16 of 20 opponents this year, averaging 16.21 digs per set as a team while opponents have been averaging 14.46. Three of the four times the Vols have been out-dug, they have lost. The exception was a 3-1 win vs. Jacksonville (out-dug 77-69).

Wednesday's loss at LSU was the first time this season the Vols have lost when out-digging an opponent (out-dug the Tigers 64-51). Tennessee started the year 15-0 when getting more digs.

With good defense -- Tennessee has also averaged 2.34 blocks/set -- the Vols have kept opponents at a combined hitting percentage of .141.

The Vols have held opponents to below .100 hitting percentage in eight matches.