2018 GAC Championships Bracket

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech volleyball team will begin postseason play on Thursday in the Great American Conference Volleyball Championships in Hot Springs. The fifth-seeded Golden Suns' first-round match will be against fourth-seeded Ouachita Baptist at 7:30 p.m. at Bank of the Ozarks Arena. 

Arkansas Tech (17-11, 10-6 GAC) finished the regular season ranked first in the GAC in kills per set (13.58) and assists per set (12.72) while ranking third in the conference in blocks, fourth in opponent hitting percentage and fifth in hitting percentage. The Golden Suns ended the season on a two-game skid as they dropped a 3-2 contest to Harding and fell 3-0 to Ouachita in the season finale.

Ouachita (22-8, 11-5 GAC) defeated Arkansas Tech in its final conference match of the season and is riding a three-game winning streak, having also won 11 of its last 13 games. The Tigers rank third in the conference in assists per set, as Ouachita's Stormi Leonard ranks second in the GAC with 10.76 assists per set this season. 

Arkansas Tech split the season series with Ouachita, taking the first match 3-0 in Russellville. In the win, Tech posted a .301 attack percentage with 43 kills in the victory, while the Tigers were held to hit just .130 with 36 kills. Allie Anderson led Arkansas Tech with 16 kills, followed by Tymber Riley with ten. Emily Acker finished with 23 assists, and Madison Grantham added 13 digs.

In the 3-0 loss to Ouachita in Arkadelphia, the Tigers hit .349 with 51 kills, while holding the Golden Suns to a .204 hitting percentage with 37 kills. Ouachita also added seven blocks and forced 15 Tech attacking errors.

With a win, Tech would advance to the GAC Championships semifinals for the second straight year where they would face to winner of Harding and Northwestern Oklahoma State.

Live statistics and video for Thursday night's match are available at www.arkansastechsports.com.

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