RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech volleyball team turned in one of its most electric performances of the season on Monday night inside Tucker Coliseum as they overwhelmed visiting Arkansas-Fort Smith for a 3-0 sweep.
In each of the first two sets, the Golden Suns had monster late rallies to shift momentum and steal the sets from UAFS.
In the first set, that rally came with the Golden Suns trailing 23-18 and saw Tech rip off six-straight points to erase the deficit and suddenly serve for set-point. The Lions would fend off that set-point and did so three more times before gaining set-point for themselves at 27-26. The Golden Suns would then use a service error to knot the score at 27-all and then scored consecutive points to win the opening set, 29-27.
Set two once more saw UAFS be two points away from a win, this time leading the Golden Suns by four, 23-19. Tech would score three-straight points to pull within a point, 23-22. The Lions broke that mini run on a kill and had set-point, 24-22. The Golden Suns then scored three-straight points once again to stave off set-point and give themselves the scenario.
The Lions would hold off there and would have two more chances to put the set away at 26-25 and at 27-26. The Golden Suns, however, were able to get three-straight kills at the 27-26 mark to emphatically win the second set, 29-27.
After those two epic comeback efforts, the Golden Suns carried over the momentum into the third set and built up an early seven-point lead, 12-5. UAFS was able to put a run together and pulled within two points of the Tech lead, 16-14, but the Golden Suns managed to push their lead back out to five, 19-14.
The Golden Suns then used a five-point run to get to set-point/match-point. UAFS was able to stave off the defeat twice before the Golden Suns won on a service error.
Leading the Golden Suns offensively was
Savannah Meyer with 18 kills.
Henley Hooks was next with 11.
Emma Kiser paced the offense with 32 assists and
Jamie Myrick had 17 digs.
The Golden Suns will now prepare for an Oklahoma road trip later this week. First up, they will travel to Shawnee, Okla. on October 24 to take on Oklahoma Baptist. First-serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
