ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns mounted a furious comeback but ultimately fell short to the Henderson State Reddies in five sets, (23-25, 23-25, 25-16, 30-28, 13-15). Arkansas Tech will travel to Harding to conclude the regular season on Tuesday.
 
Despite the loss, the Golden Suns secured the No. 2 in the Great American Conference Eastern Division. The Golden Suns earned a first-round bye in the GAC championship tournament and will host the winner of the #3/#6 game being played Tuesday, April 6.
 
In the first set, Henderson State jumped out to a quick 8-3 lead and extended it to as many as six, 18-12, before the Golden Suns went a run to pull within two, 24-22 after kills from Mackenzie Eford, Emily Ragsdale, Rilie Vote and Haylee Paladini, along with an ace from Madison Grantham. The Reddies held off the comeback, taking set one 25-23.
 
The Golden Suns scored the first four points of the second set after two solo blocks from Addison Masters and a kill from Vote. The Reddies tied things 7-7 and took a three-point lead, 15-12 before the Golden Suns tied things at 22-22 after kills from Eford and Ragsdale and a solo block from Vote. Henderson State grabbed the final two points of the set to take set two 25-23.
 
The teams traded points to open the third set, with an ace from Emma Crenshaw tying things 6-6. The Golden Suns used a 9-1 run to take a 16-10 lead after three kills from Paladini, a kill each from Vote and Brianna Merkel and a block from Ragsdale. Arkansas Tech scored five of the last seven points after kills from Eford, Paladini and another block from Ragsdale to seal the 25-16 set three victory.
 
The fourth set to start, with the teams trading points until the Golden Suns used a quick 4-0 run to go up 7-4 after two kills and a block from Eford. The teams were tied 15-15 before another 4-0 run put the Golden Suns ahead 19-16 after a kill from Paladini. Henderson State tried to come back, forcing the set into extra points until the Ragsdale put down back-to-back kills to take set four, 30-28.
 
Henderson State opened the fifth and final set, scoring the first four points, before the Golden Suns pulled within two, 9-7 after a kill from Vote. The Reddies scored five of the last six points to take the final set, 15-9 and the match 3-2.
 
Paladini put down a career-high 22 kills, hitting .308 for the match. Eford posted 13 kills, hitting .423 and Vote added 10 kills and 10 digs for a double-double. Eford, Vote and Ragsdale blocked three shots apiece. Merkel dished out 43 assists and grabbed another double-double with 11 digs. Grantham anchored the defense with 28 digs with Megan Solberg and Paladini picked up 12 digs each.