Volleyball facing key weekend

It wasn’t exactly Joe Namath promising a victory prior to Super Bowl III, but Arkansas Coach Robert Pulliza delivered a guarantee concerning his team’s home volleyball matches against Alabama and Mississippi State this weekend.

“I can guarantee you that one team this weekend is going to get its second SEC win,” Pulliza said with a smile.

That’s because Arkansas (4-11, 1-4 SEC ), Alabama (8-6, 1-4 ) and Mississippi State (6-10, 1-4 ) share third place in the SEC West. If Arkansas hopes to emerge from this weekend’s action in better standing, freshman Kelli Stipanovich likely will need to help lead the way.

So far, Stipanovich has done just that, establishing herself as the Razorbacks’ most consistent threat. Stipanovich not only leads Arkansas in kills per game (3. 23 ), but ranks seventh in that category among all SEC players. Stipanovich also leads the Razorbacks in total kills (171 ), service aces (12 ) and total points (190 ). “She’s been relentless, she’s got great focus and a lot of what’s happening for her in matches is translating from the practice gym,” Pulliza said. “She works hard day in and day out, and that’s why when the lights go on, she’s kind of unfazed with what’s going on on the other side of the net. She just plays ball.” WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

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White white-hot Cross country runner Catherine White continued her torrid start to the season with a third-place finish at Saturday’s Oregon-hosted Bill Dellnger Invitational, completing the 6, 000-meter course in 20: 33. 55 — a personal best by almost 45 seconds. Coach Lance Harter said White’s confidence is predictably high as the No. 24 Razorbacks prepare to host the Chile Pepper Festival on Oct. 18. “She doesn’t fear anyone... and I think it would take a very special athlete to run away from her,” Harter said. Harter quickly added that White should get the ultimate test at the Chile Pepper race, which will feature Texas Tech senior Sally Kipyego, the two-time defending national champion.

SOCCER Hoping home is sweet After playing its first four SEC matches on the road, Arkansas’ soccer team returns home for critical matches against Alabama (7 p. m. Friday ) and Auburn (1 p. m. Sunday ). Ole Miss leads the SEC West with nine points, while Auburn (seven ) is in second and Arkansas and Alabama (six ) are locked in a three-way tie for third. The top eight teams overall advance to next month’s SEC Tournament. Arkansas (9-3-0, 2-2-0 ) suffered losses at Georgia and Tennessee last week but is evenly matched with Alabama (7-4-1, 2-2-0 ) and Auburn (6-5-2, 2-1-1 ), Coach Gordon Henderson said.

“It’s really going to be about not who is the better side,” Henderson said. “It’s going to be about who is the better side that day or that night.”

Arkansas, already playing without senior Sarah Gwisdala, who sustained a seasonending knee injury two weeks ago, expects to get leading scorer Kelly O’Connor back this weekend. O’Connor, a sophomore, didn’t play in Sunday’s loss to Tennessee because of an ankle injury.

SOFTBALL Robison ready Arkansas’ softball team wraps up fall-season play Saturday by hosting Oklahoma State (1: 30 p. m. ) and Northeastern (Okla. ) State at Bogle Park. One player expected to get extensive action is junior Brittany Robison. Though Robison has played in only two of Arkansas’ previous six games, Coach Jamie Pinkerton said she’s practically cemented a spot in the starting lineup. “Brittany Robison’s got to play,” Pinkerton said. “I just haven’t figured out where I’m going to [put her ] yet. “ The kid always comes and punches the clock every day.... You know she’s going to get the job done.” Pinkerton said Robison could play as many as five positions this spring. In her two fall season appearances, Robison has gone 3 for 7. Quote of the week Coach Jamie Pinkerton said he planned to pitch junior Miranda Dixon just four innings in last week’s game against Drury but eventually let

2 her work 5 / 3 innings because she was throwing a perfect game. Pinkerton pulled Dixon when the perfect game was spoiled. “I think I got booed... and I think it was her mom,” Pinkerton said with a laugh.

SIDELINES At No. 25, Arkansas’ women’s golf team is the lowest of seven ranked teams at this weekend’s Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship in Knoxville, Tenn., but Coach Shauna Estes-Taylor said the Razorbacks are up to the challenge. “I think it’s a field that we can definitely win in,” she said. Senior Nanar Airapetian and freshmen Emily Carbone and Kate Lukomskaya will represent Arkansas’ women’s tennis team at this weekend’s Ole Miss Fall Classic. Senior Blake Strode will compete today in the singles draw at the D’Novo Men’s All-American Tennis Championships in Tulsa.