Hogs rally for Arkansas volleyball reverse sweep at Alabama

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

For two sets Friday night, Arkansas looked like a team getting ready for a quiet bus ride out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Then the Razorbacks woke up.

They won the next three sets 25-22, 25-19 and 15-8 to finish an Arkansas volleyball reverse sweep of the Crimson Tide. They hadn’t pulled one of those off all season.

Alabama took the first two 25-20 and 25-23. Neither was lopsided. The Tide just made the last few plays both times.

The Hogs hadn’t won a five-set match since last September, either.

The win puts Arkansas at 10-9 overall and 2-6 in the SEC. League play’s still a climb, but Friday made it a little easier to look at the standings.

Most of the credit goes to Parker Duncan.

Duncan carried the load

The sophomore outside hitter put down 24 kills. She’d never had more in a college match.

She picked up 13 digs, her most this season, for her fifth double-double of 2026.

Alabama had grabbed a 15-14 lead in the third set. Arkansas needed somebody to swing it back.

Duncan had two kills in a 5-1 run that put the Hogs up 22-19.

The Tide stayed close. She answered with another kill, and a block by Thurman and Layla Smith ended the set 25-22.

In the fifth, Duncan had a kill in Arkansas’ 3-0 start. She got the last one of the night as well.

Aces made the difference

The Razorbacks served 11 aces. It’s the most they’ve had in a match since 2024.

Freshman setter Maggie McCarroll had five. No Razorback has had more in a match this year.

Two of hers came in that 3-0 start to the fifth set.

McCarroll also ran the offense with 41 assists and added 12 digs. It’s the third double-double of her career.

Aleki Alexander served three aces, a career high. She chipped in five kills and four blocks.

Her kill started a 4-0 run early in the fourth set. Later, she hit a kill and an ace back to back to make it 12-6.

Alabama took a 15-14 lead out of the technical break, and Arkansas burned a timeout. The Hogs scored six straight right after for a 23-16 lead. Alexander closed the set the same way, kill then ace, for a 25-19 win.

Plenty of help on the back row

Madi Benne, a rookie libero, dug 21 balls. It’s the most she’s ever had.

Five Razorbacks finished with at least 10 digs: Benne, Duncan, McCarroll, Gaby Cornier and Lakin Laurendine.

Smith, a senior middle, hit .474 for a career best. She had nine kills and five blocks.

Smith and Alexander combined for nine blocks.

A few Alabama errors early in the third gave Arkansas a cushion. Laurendine added an ace during a 4-0 run that made it 10-6.

Cornier’s ace capped a 4-0 run early in the fourth for a 7-3 lead. Alabama asked for time right after.

Where it went wrong early

The first set was even for a while. Alabama went up 10-7, and Arkansas answered with four straight to lead 11-10.

The Tide led 15-14 at the technical break. Two more points made it 17-14 and sent the Hogs to the huddle.

Arkansas won three of the next four, one on a McCarroll ace. Alabama came out of its own timeout and pushed it to 22-18. The Razorbacks scored only twice more, and the Tide won 25-20.

The second set had four lead changes early. Then Alabama ran off four straight for a 10-7 lead.

The Hogs kept hanging around but couldn’t get more than a couple of points in a row. After the Tide reached 20 and Arkansas took a timeout, a 4-1 spurt cut it to 21-19.

Alabama got to set point with a kill. The Razorbacks saved it three times. The fourth try stuck, and the Tide won 25-23.

Closing it out

The Hogs led 3-0 to start the fifth set and stayed in front.

Arkansas got to 10 first, and Alabama stopped play to regroup.

It didn’t help. The Razorbacks scored four straight on two kills and two blocks to reach match point.

The Tide got two back before Duncan ended it. The full stats are in the box score.

There’s not much time to enjoy it. Arkansas plays at Mississippi State in Starkville, Mississippi, on Sunday, Oct. 25.

First serve is set for 2 p.m. The match will stream on SEC Network+.