RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech volleyball team returns to action this weekend in Tucker Coliseum as they play a pair of matches against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Quincy in the Golden Suns invitational this weekend. The Golden Suns currently sit at 2-8 overall and have a 1-0 record in Great American Conference play.

First on the slate of matches will be Arkansas-Pine Bluff, which Tech dropped a match to earlier this season. The Golden Lions are currently 2-6 overall and have yet to play a match against a conference opponent. In their last outing, Arkansas-Pine Bluff picked up a 3-1 win over Alcorn State. Currently leading the Arkansas-Pine Bluff offense is Zykia Jones with 75 kills while Fernanda Spengler has 74. Leading the team in assists is Nikole Akamine with 132. In terms of aces, Jones and Starvoula Papazoglou each have nine. On the defensive side, Breana August leads the Golden Lions in digs with 110. Following August is Papazoglou with 69. Kori Diego has collected the most blocks with 20.0 while Laila Fortson has 14.0 blocks.

Following their match against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the Golden Suns will face Quincy (RV) the next day. The Hawks have opened the 2022 season on a hot streak and are currently 8-0, winning all their matches by a final score of either 3-1 or 3-0. In their last outing, they picked up a 3-1 win against Ursuline College. Leading Quincy on offense is Mattison Norris with 97 kills. Following Norris is Emma Wijnbergen with 77 kills and Emily Rehagen with 63. Pacing the Hawks on offense is Makayla Knoblauch with 259 total assists on the season. Knoblauch also leads Quincy in aces with 13 total. On defense, America Galvan leads the hawks with 114 digs, while Norris has 75. Leading the blocking effort for Quincy is Alice Pavan with 31.0 total blocks and Alyssa Grimm with 22.0 total blocks. 

Arkansas Tech picked up a 3-0 sweep over Southern Arkansas in their home opener to dominate their first GAC win of the season in their last outing. For the Golden Suns, Maddi Siedenburg leads the offensive attack with 83 total kills on the season this far. Following Siedenburg is Lydia Hale with 64 and Brianna Merkel with 54. Pacing the Golden Sun offense is Merkel with 141 total assists on the year, followed by Gracie Palmer with 112 assists. Arkansas Tech has three strong leaders in terms of service aces and are headed by Jamie Myrick with 16, followed by Palmer with 15 and Merkel with 11. Anchoring the Golden Suns on defense is Megan Solberg with 160 total digs on the season, while both Myrick and Palmer have 84 and Merkel has 85. Holding down the front of the net for the Golden Suns is Heather Thomas with 21 assisted blocks and five solo for a total of 26.0 blocks. Following Thomas is Hale with 17 blocks assists and two solo blocks for 19.0 total, while Zoe Lott has 12 blocks assisted and two solo for 14.0 total blocks. 

The Golden Suns will take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 7 p.m. on Friday night in Tucker Coliseum. Tech will play their match against Quincy at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon in Tucker Coliseum to close out their slate of weekend matches.