SHAWNEE, Okla.– Hunter Eshnaur had 24-kill afternoon, while Amanda Milnick added 57 assists on the day, as the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns volleyball team (7-5) closed out the second day of the GAC/MIAA Crossover with a split, downing Emporia State in the opener and falling to Central Oklahoma in the nightcap.
 
NEXT UP

• The Golden Suns will return to the court on Tuesday Sept. 11 as Tech travels to Searcy, Ark. to face Harding.

HOW IT HAPPENED (TECH vs. ESU)

• Both teams traded points over the opening ten points, with the score tied at 5-5
• Tech rattled off three straight points to go up 8-5.
• The Golden Suns went up 10-7 but Emporia State scored five of the next seven points to tie the score up at 12-12.
• Arkansas Tech scored seven of the next 12 points to claim a 19-15 advantage before Emporia State put a rally together, cutting its deficit to 20-18. 
• Tech forced set point at 24-18 after a kill by Tymber Riley and claimed the first set 25-19 after a service error by but ESU.
• Emporia State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second set. 
• Tech answered by scoring six of the next nine points to bring the score to 6-6. The Suns later went up 14-11 after an Eshnaur kill.
• Tech continued to create separation, stretching the advantage to 21-16 then pushed its advantage to 23-18 after a Madison Grantham service ace.
• The Golden Suns clinched the set 25-13 after a Eshnaur kill. 
• The third set opened with both teams trading points, putting the score at 13-13.
• Tech pushed ahead by scoring the next three points, capped by a Milnick kill to put the score at 16-13. The Suns created separation by scoring nine of the next 13 points to go ahead 23-17.
• Tech forced a match point at 24-18, but ESU rallied to bring the score to three straight points to put the score at 24-21.
• The Golden Suns claimed the set and a 3-0 victory after a Meredith Darnell service ace.

NOTABLES

• Eshnaur led Tech with 14 kills, hitting .289. Milnick dished out a team-best 37 assists and also led the Golden Suns with 12 digs. Darnell added ten. 
• Tech out SBU .343 to .259.

HOW IT HAPPENED (TECH vs. UCO)

• Central Oklahoma raced out to a 4-0 advantage in the opening set. 
• With UCO holding on to a 7-4 lead, the Golden Suns went on a 4-1 run to knot the score at 8-8. 
• UCO answered with 7-2 run to go up 15-10 and later extended its lead to 22-13.
• Tech scored three of the next five points but UCO took the opening set 25-16.
• The Golden Suns went back and forth with UCO in the second set with the score going from 2-2 to 4-4 to 8-8.
• UCO took the lead at 9-8 and saw its lead grow to 18-12. UCO forced a set point at 24-13, but Tech rallied to score four straight points before Central Oklahoma took the second set 25-17.
• Tech opened the third set with a 4-1 lead and went up by 12-8 before UCO scored four straight points to tie the score at 12-12.
• Central Oklahoma scored seven of the next 12 points to take a 19-15 advantage. The Golden Suns cut the deficit to 20-18, but UCO answered by forcing a match point with the score at 24-18. Tech scored two final points before UCO took the set 25-20 and the match 3-0.

NOTABLES

• Eshnaur led Tech with 10 kills, Greer Rogers and Allie Anderson added seven kills apiece. 
• Milnick led Tech with 20 assists and nine digs.
• UCO outhitTech .276 to .078.