FIRST SERVE

The Arkansas Tech Volleyball team travels to Hot Springs to compete for the GAC championship at the conference tournament after wrapping up a stellar regular season. The Golden Suns will face Henderson State in their opening match on Thursday, November 18 at noon in Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs.

Arkansas Tech enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed in the GAC. Tech ended the regular season 19-7 overall with a 13-3 record in conference play. The Golden Suns also boasted a perfect 9-0 home record during the regular season. During conference play, Tech earned eight sweeps against GAC opponents like Ouachita, Southeastern Oklahoma, Harding and Oklahoma Baptist.

Tech and Henderson split the regular season series, each winning a game on their own home floor. The Golden Suns took down the Reddies on September 21 in Tucker Coliseum and the Reddies took the second meeting in Arkadelphia on November 2.
 

TECH TIDBITS

The Golden Suns enter the tournament after concluding the regular season with a sweep against Ouachita in Tucker Coliseum. Tymber Riley led the Golden Suns with 11 kills and 2 aces for the match. Addison Masters put down 7 kills while Haylee Paladini and Kaitlynn Bradley recorded six each. Grantham picked up 18 digs while Brianna Merkel dished out 25 assists.

Riley leads the team, averaging 3.65 kills per set, followed by Paladini with 2.73, Emily Ragsdale with 2.59 and Bradley with 2.47 kills per set. Merkel and Gracie Palmer split time directing the offense and average 7.09 and 3.96 assists per set respectively. Grantham has anchored the defense all season, averaging 4.24 digs per set.
 

SCOUTING THE REDDIES

The Reddies enter the match with a 10-6 record in GAC play and finished the regular season with a 3-0 sweep against Southern Arkansas in Magnolia. Henderson was led by Violeta Mendoza Quintana with 9 kills and Mya Robinson with 12 digs.

Mendoza Quintana led the team with 3.25 kills per set this season, followed by Robinson with 2.93 kills per set. Taylor Scalzi and Madison Hatt directed the offense and averaged 5.30 and 4.10 assists per set. Makenzie Thoman held down the defense averaging 5.47 digs per set.