No. 18 Golden Suns battle on the road, falling to Southern Arkansas in four sets
By: Stormi Leonard
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – In their second game of the week, the No. 18 Arkansas Tech Golden Suns dropped a tightly contested match to the Southern Arkansas Lady Muleriders in four sets (24-26, 25-17, 21-25, 23-25).
Eford led the Golden Suns with 10 kills with Vote following with nine. Merkel dished out 25 assists and
Gracie Palmer dished out a season-high 10 assists.
Madison Grantham led the defense with 21 digs and Eford led the front line with four blocks.
The teams traded points to open the first set with neither team leading by more than two until the Golden Suns went up 11-7 after attack errors from the Lady Muleriders. Southern Arkansas tied things up at 11-11. The teams went extra points in the first set with Southern Arkansas taking the set, 26-24.
The second set mirrored the first as the teams kept each other within a point or two until the Golden Suns went on a 3-0 run to go up 14-11 after a kill from
Haylee Paladini and an ace from
Gracie Palmer. Arkansas Tech won five of the last six points to take the second set 25-17 after a kill from
Rilie Vote and
Addison Masters and an ace from
Maggie Schlueter.
In the third set, neither team led by more than two until the late parts of the game.
Brianna Merkel put down three kills in the set. Southern Arkansas took the third set, 25-21 after winning the final three points of the set.
The match continued its competitive play in the fourth set with the teams trading points in the first parts of the set. The Golden Suns went on a 3-0 run after two kills from
Mackenzie Eford, putting Arkansas Tech up 5-2. The end of the set was exactly like the beginning as the teams went point for point until Southern Arkansas took the set, 25-23 and the match 3-1.
