RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - No. 16 Arkansas Tech set a Great American Conference record for consecutive victories on Tuesday, as the Golden Suns defeated Central Baptist and Lyon for their 21st and 22nd straight wins.
UP NEXT
- Arkansas Tech (22-0, 7-0 GAC) returns to conference play on Friday, hosting Southwestern Oklahoma in Tucker Coliseum. The match is scheduled for 6 p.m.
HOW IT HAPPENED: ARKANSAS TECH VS. CENTRAL BAPTIST
- Arkansas Tech used a 5-0 run to take an early advantage, and later used a 7-0 run to win the first set, 25-13. Tech hit .353 in the set with a match-low three attack errors.
- The Golden Suns opened the second set with six consecutive points and never allowed Central Baptist to pull within four. Arkansas Tech won the set, 25-11, behind five kills from Rilie Vote.
- Tech dominated on both offense and defense in the final set, hitting .370 with 15 kills, while limiting CBC to a -.069 hitting percentage and just four kills. Mackenzie Eford recorded five kills on six attacks in the set, as the Golden Suns defeated the Mustangs, 25-11.
HOW IT HAPPENED: ARKANSAS TECH VS. LYON
- Kenzie Dozier and Greer Rogers combined for nine kills on 18 attacks in the first set, as Arkansas Tech took an early lead with a 25-13 win over Lyon. Tech hit a match-high .355 in the game.
- The back-and-forth second set featured multiple runs by either team, until the Golden Suns ended the set on a 10-2 run, taking a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-17 win.
- Lyon used a 5-0 run in the third set to take a 10-9 lead, but Tech quickly took back the advantage with three straight points. The Suns later ended the set on another 10-2 run, winning, 25-17, to take the match. Lyon was held to a .000 hitting percentage in both the first and third sets.
NOTABLES
- Arkansas Tech's 22 consecutive victories passes the previous GAC record held by the 2011 Golden Suns. Arkansas Tech now holds each of the five longest win streaks in conference history.
- The matches give Tech 17 straight-set wins this season, and the Suns are now four wins shy of tying the longest win streak in Arkansas Tech volleyball history.
- Tech's nine service aces in the win over CBC ties a season high.
- Dozier led Arkansas Tech with a combined 23 kills in the two matches, while Tabitha Spray added 16 and Vote had 15.
- Emily Acker led the offense with 74 assists over the two wins, and she also tallied seven service aces.
- Madison Nagel led the defense with 34 digs on the day, and Eford finished with eight total blocks.
HEAD COACH KRISTY BAYER SAYS
- "We have been on this win streak, but we do not really look at the future. We have just been taking it one week at a time, one match at a time."
- "Top to bottom, our team is extremely talented. We battle it out in practice in our team drills, and it is just as competitive as most of our matches."
- "Today was the perfect opportunity to get some players real, live-game experience. We know they are great players, but to get them on the court against other opponents is very valuable."
- "I thought Emily Acker ran a really good offense and was able to get a lot of hitters the ball. Kenzie Dozier took some really, really good swings. Mackenzie Eford hit well, and she blocked well, and she was talking. I though today was very valuable for her."
-FIGHTON-
