ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns split two matches on the opening day of the HSU/OBU Volleyball Invitational on Friday. Tech defeated Drury, 3-2 (20-25, 22-25, 25-17, 25-21, 15-9), but were later defeated, 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-15), by No. 11 Northern State.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: ARKANSAS TECH vs. DRURY

• Arkansas Tech took the first lead of the match, but an 11-3 run by the Panthers (2-3) eventually put Drury on top 16-15 in the first set. Drury then took the final four points of the set to take a 1-0 lead.
• Drury (2-3) posted a match-high .467 attack percentage in the second set while the Golden Suns hit just .238, allowing the Panthers to take a 2-0 advantage.
• Tech's defense stepped up in the third set, forcing 11 attack errors by the Panthers. Drury finished the set with a negative attack percentage, and a 5-1 run by the Golden Suns to end the set gave Tech its first set of the match.
• In the fourth set, Kaylee Konsella led the Golden Suns with five kills and no attack errors, and McCall Wilkins followed with four kills as Tech forced a fifth set with a 25-21 win.
• The Golden Suns started the final set with a 5-0 run, led by Wilkins with two kills and an assisted block.
• Drury eventually cut the deficit to one point, trailing 8-7 in the 15-point game. Another 5-0 run, however, put Tech ahead, 13-7. The Golden Suns then took the set, 15-9, on a kill by Kenzie Dozier.

NOTABLES

• The Golden Suns recorded 11 kills and just one error in the final set, setting a season-high attack percentage in a set with .476.
• Tech finished with just 19 attack errors in the five-set win, the second lowest total this season and a season-low in five-set matches.
• Hunter Eshnaur led Arkansas Tech with a season-high 16 kills.
• Wilkins added 15 kills and just three errors, earning a .414 attack percentage. Konsella also finished in double-digits with 10 kills while hitting .588.
• Konsella and Dozier each had over 10 attacks with no attack errors on the match. Dozier led all players with a .636 attack percentage.
• Sarah Rosinke posted 49 assists in the victory, a career-high for her while at Arkansas Tech.
• Madison Nagel led the Golden Suns in digs for the fifth time this season, finishing with a season-high 25.

HOW IT HAPPENED: ARKANSAS TECH vs. NORTHERN STATE

• The first set featured eight ties and five lead changes, until a 5-0 run put the Wolves ahead, 24-18. Despite three straight points from Arkansas Tech, Northern State took the set after a timeout.
• Northern State (4-1) opened the second set with a 6-0 run and held its lead until the end of the game, despite Tech pulling within two points on four separate occasions.
• Tech's offense was at its best in the second set, as the Golden Suns hit .323. Tech could not stop the Wolves, however, as Northern State hit .333 with a match-high 16 kills.
• The Wolves controlled the final set from the start, out-hitting Tech .303 to .111.

NOTABLES

• Eshnaur and Dozier each finished with 10 kills to lead all players in the three-set match. Eshnaur has recorded at least 10 kills in all six matches this season.
• Eshnaur added 13 digs to earn her 18^th career double-double.
• Rosinke led the Golden Suns with 22 assists, followed by Amanda Milnick with 10.
• Madison Nagel finished with eight digs. Nagel is currently third in Arkansas Tech history with 1,369 digs. She is 40 digs shy of passing Racheal Urquhart, who sits in second.

NEXT UP

• The Golden Suns (3-3) continue play in the HSU/OBU Volleyball Invitational on Saturday, as Tech takes on Lindenwood at 9 a.m. and Pittsburg State at 2 p.m. Live stats will be available at www.arkansastechsports.com.
• Arkansas Tech will play in Tucker Coliseum for the first time on Tuesday, Sept. 13, for the home opener against Southern Arkansas. The Great American Conference match is scheduled for 6 p.m.