RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech volleyball team returned home to Tucker Coliseum on Thursday night and played host to Henderson State for a Great American Conference match. Ultimately, Tech would fall to Henderson by a score of 3-1.
In the match, Tech had breakout performances by a pair of true freshmen in
Lauren Grier and
Henley Hooks. The two combined for 26 kills with Grier putting down a season-high 14 kills while Hooks had a season-high 12 kills. Grier also totaled 7.0 blocks in the match to lead the team and Hooks registered her first collegiate double-double with 16 digs.
The first two sets went the way of Henderson, but Tech was able to stave off the sweep with an impressive 25-17 win in the third set. The performance of the third set by the Golden Suns was almost assuredly carry over from the second set in which Tech fought from behind to push the set beyond 25 points.
The comeback fight in that set came with Tech trailing by five points, 19-14. The Golden Suns would eventually claw their way back to a tied set at 23-all thanks to consecutive kills from
Henley Hooks and
Maddi Siedenburg. Henderson scored the next point to get to set-point, but the Golden Suns staved it off with a kill by Orton. The Reddies then closed out the set with the benefit of a Tech attack error and a kill.
Set three started out back-and-forth and was tied at 8-all before the Golden Suns went on a run to take control. Kills and assisted blocks by
Sierra Orton and Hooks along with a Reddie attack error and Tech service ace surged the Golden Suns ahead 13-9, prompting a time out by Henderson.
The Golden Suns continued that momentum throughout the set and grew their lead out to seven points, 20-13. Tech and Henderson would essentially trade points after that, but the lead by the Golden Suns was large enough to withstand the back-and-forth of it all and Tech eventually won the set 25-17.
Set four saw Henderson take an early lead and not look back as they eventually established a double-digit lead about midway through the set. Unwilling to go down without a fight, however, the Golden Suns battled in the fourth set and out-scored Henderson 7-5 the remainder of the set.
The Golden Suns will now prepare for a road match on Tuesday night against Ouachita Baptist. First-serve from Arkadelphia is scheduled for 6 p.m.
