No. 9 Texas Volleyball turned a shaky start into a four-set road win Friday night, outlasting Arkansas 22-25, 29-27, 25-20, 25-19 at Barnhill Arena and getting a historic defensive night from Ramsey Gary along the way.
Gary piled up a career-best 33 digs, setting the Texas rally-scoring era record. It was the most by a Longhorn in a four-set match and the second-most in program history. She became the fourth Texas player ever to reach 30 digs in a match, and the first to do it since the Longhorns’ previous record of 34 was set on Nov. 3, 1999, a stretch of 800 matches.
Texas (8-5, 4-1 SEC) needed that kind of edge after Arkansas (8-7, 0-4 SEC) grabbed the opening set and pushed the Longhorns early in the second. Texas hit just .125 in the first frame, but finished the night at .304 and closed with a .515 hitting percentage in the fourth set.
Torrey Stafford carried the offense with a season-high 29 kills on .348 hitting, adding 13 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. She also served up a team-best two aces and reached 1,500 career kills with her 24th kill of the night.
Rella Binney posted a career-high 63 assists and added 10 digs for her sixth double-double. Henley Anderson logged her first career double-double with 11 kills and a career-high 13 digs, plus two blocks and an ace. Addy Gaido also delivered one of her best matches, finishing with 12 kills on 19 swings for a .579 hitting percentage.
Arkansas set the tone in the first set with blocks and Texas attack errors, moving in front 14-10 before closing out a 25-22 win. The Longhorns kept pace behind Stafford, Mackenzie Collins and Cari Spears, but never fully shook the Razorbacks.
The second set gave Texas its first real test. Arkansas surged ahead 13-8, then watched the Longhorns grind their way back.
Stafford tied it at 16-16, and from there the set turned into a back-and-forth fight. Arkansas reached set point at 24-22, but Texas refused to fold.
Stafford answered with consecutive kills to put Texas ahead 28-27, the Longhorns’ first lead since 4-3, and Gaido finished it off for the 29-27 win that leveled the match.
The third set stayed tight until Texas made its move. With Arkansas up 16-15, Stafford and Harvey combined for three straight kills to swing momentum to Texas.
The Razorbacks then made two attack errors as the Longhorns stretched the lead to 20-16. Stafford kept pressing, Gaido added back-to-back kills, and Stafford finished the set with her 22nd kill for a 25-20 Texas win.
By the fourth, Texas had taken over. The Longhorns opened on an 8-2 run, with Camille Presley getting the first kill of her career and Harvey and Anderson teaming up for a block during the early burst.
Stafford hit the 1,500-kill mark as Texas built a 10-5 cushion, and Gaido helped keep the pressure on. Texas controlled the rest of the set, hit .515, and Anderson delivered the final kill in the 25-19 clincher.
Texas continues the road trip Sunday, Oct. 11, against Oklahoma at McCasland Field House. First serve is set for 2 p.m. CT, and the match will stream live on SEC Network+.
In Other News...
Texas Let A 2-0 Lead Slip Away In Brutal Road Loss
Texas built what looked like a winning cushion early at Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex, jumping out to a 2-0 lead before halftime and appearing to have control of the match on the road. The Longhorns got key contributions from Elise Ernest, Rayna Powers, Amalia Villarreal, Ava McDonald and Audrey Bryant, and for a while it looked like the night would extend their recent run and reinforce the progress that had carried them into the contest.
Instead, Kentucky flipped the script after the break and turned the game into a gut-punch finish for Texas. The Wildcats scored three times in the second half, and Kyla Dawn delivered the winner in the 90th minute, sending No. 25/18 Texas to a 3-2 defeat that snapped its four-match unbeaten streak and left the Longhorns with plenty to sort through after a road lead vanished so quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Opens Red River With Early Drama Beyond The Score
The Red River Rivalry brought its usual edge at the Cotton Bowl, and Texas wasted little time making an early statement. Arch Manning connected with Cam Coleman for a first-quarter touchdown, giving the Longhorns a quick spark in a game that already felt charged before either side settled in.
Even before the scoring play, the opening quarter carried plenty for Texas fans to track beyond the scoreboard, from the pregame warmups to the injury situation that shaped the tone of the afternoon. With key plays coming fast and both teams absorbing the atmosphere of one of college footballs most watched rivalries, the Longhorns had plenty of drama to navigate right away. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Is Suddenly In The Middle Of A Key 2027 Recruiting Battle
Texas used its bye week the way top programs are supposed to use extra time, with the coaching staff leaning hard into recruiting for the 2027 and 2028 classes. That work already has Texas positioned with several high-rated 2027 commitments, including Easton Royal and Ismael Camara, and it has helped keep the Longhorns in the mix as the class starts to take shape.
One name now worth watching is RJ Hudson, the former Clemson linebacker commit who reopened his recruitment and has emerged as a potential Texas target. Hudson is set to visit Austin on Oct. 24, giving the Longhorns a chance to make a strong early impression in a battle that could matter down the road if they can keep stacking elite defensive talent in the class. [Read more 🡒]