FAYETTEVILLE – The Butler volleyball team took a 3-0 loss at Arkansas on Friday night (25-15, 26-24, 26-24). Butler was in control late in the second and third set, but crucial scoring runs would lead to the Razorback sweep.
 
Natalie Ravenell and Brooke Gregory combined for 23 kills against Arkansas. Ravenell posted solid numbers across the board with 12 kills, six digs, and seven blocks. Gregory was second on the team with 11 kills. She hit .250 off 24 attempts.
 
Bri Lilly was in the box score as #3 on Friday night. Despite the number change, Lilly's final line looked the same with seven kills, a team-high .263 attack percentage and a team-high eight blocks. BU recorded 10 team blocks compared to just four from the home team.
 
The setter on Friday night was Maddie Freiwald. She posted 26 assists, five digs and two blocks. Elizabeth LaBue and Taylor Takeda were each responsible for double figure dig totals. LaBue led the crew with 13. Takeda was credited with 10.
 
The first set was lopsided with Arkansas hitting .500 as a team to take a quick 1-0 lead, but the final two sets featured 19 ties and seven lead changes.
 
BU led a majority of the way in set two and held a 24-22 advantage late in the action after a Gregory kill. Errors would come back to haunt Butler. A service error kept Arkansas alive and back-to-back attack errors would give the home team a one-point lead. The action would come to a close shortly after on a kill from Elizabeth Pamphile.
 
The hangover from set two would drag into set three with Arkansas taking an early 5-1 advantage. Butler fought back and tied the set at 7-7 and a 6-0 BU scoring run later in the action would give the Bulldogs a 20-16 lead.
 
Arkansas burned a time out and would come out of the break by scoring four of the next five points to get back within a point.
 
BU was going to avoid the sweep with a 24-21 lead, but another service error would deny the outcome. Arkansas would score the final five points of the match and move on to secure the victory.
 
Butler will get back to action on Saturday with games against Northwestern and Buffalo. They play at 11 AM against the Wildcats and 6 PM vs. the Bulls.