RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech Volleyball team will hit the road this weekend for two matchups. They will travel to Alva, Okla. first to take on Northwestern Oklahoma on Friday, October 15. Following that match, they will travel down to Weatherford, Okla. to face Southwestern Oklahoma.
The Golden Suns are currently 13-3 overall and hold a 7-0 record in conference play. Tech has also won 10 straight matches.
Northwestern Oklahoma went 9-6 overall and 5-5 in conference play during the 2020 season, which was shortened due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This season, the Rangers are 6-14 overall with a 2-5 record in conference play. Their last match was a 3-0 loss in Arkadelphia against Ouachita Baptist.
Southwestern Oklahoma had a solid 2020 season going 7-6 overall and 6-4 in conference games. This season, the bulldogs continue to build off the success they found last season with a 10-6 overall record and 5-2 in conference play. In their last match, the Bulldogs secured a sweep against Ouachita Baptist on the road.
Leading the attack for the Golden Suns will be a trio of seniors. Senior outside hitter Tymber Riley, senior right-side hitter Haylee Paladini and senior middle blocker Emily Ragsdale should provide another week of strong offensive performances. Arkansas Tech has won three straight GAC Offensive Player of the Week awards with each of these three seniors winning. Between the three seniors, they have a stellar combined 424 kills.
Pacing the offense will be junior setter, Brianna Merkel. During the Golden Suns' last match against Southern Nazarene, Merkel produced a new season-high in assists with 42. She also leads the team in total assists with 411 while averaging 7.21 assists per set.
Leading the defensive effort will be senior libero Madison Grantham. The senior libero boasts a team-high 237 dig total while averaging 4.09 digs per set. Expect Riley to contribute some digs as well as she follows behind Grantham with 122 digs on the season. The block leaders for the Golden Suns will be Ragsdale, with 44 total blocks on the season, as well as junior outside hitter Kaitlynn Bradley who has 40 total blocks this season.
The Golden Suns' first match on Friday, October 15 against Northwestern Oklahoma is set to begin at 6 p.m. that evening. Tech's second match of the weekend on Saturday, October 16 against Southwestern Oklahoma is set to begin at 2 p.m. that afternoon.
