RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech volleyball team avoided a reverse sweep by visiting Southern Arkansas on Thursday night inside Tucker Coliseum in thrilling fashion as the Golden Suns scored the final nine points of the fifth set to win 15-10, and claim the match, 3-2.
With SAU attempting a reverse sweep, the Golden Suns won each of the first two sets. Set one saw the Golden Suns pull away after breaking a five-all tie and eventually cruise to a 25-18 win. The second set had Tech in control at 21-16, but a 6-1 rally by SAU tied the set at 22-all. The two teams traded points to re-tie the set at 23-all. The Golden Suns would get kills from
Henley Hooks and
Erika Hernandez after that to close out the set.
The third set was close throughout, but the Golden Suns again were able to seize control in the later stages and were serving for match-point at 24-21. The Muleriders, however, staved off three-straight match points and then completed a 5-0 run to snatch the set away, 26-24, and force a fourth set.
The Golden Suns held a lead throughout much of the fourth set but couldn't create a lot of separation from SAU. Hanging around, the Muleriders tied the set at 19-all and later went up by a pair of points, 22-20. This time it was the Muleriders that were serving for set-point at 24-21.
Playing to avoid a fifth set, the Golden Suns would fend off three set-points themselves to tie the set at 24-all. After SAU broke the 3-0 burst, Tech scored consecutive points to get to match-point once again, 26-25. The Muleriders remained resilient and scored three-straight to win the set, 28-26 and force the decisive fifth set.
SAU would have control of the set early and led by as much as four points, 9-5. Not long after, they led by the same margin at 10-6. With all the momentum seemingly on SAU's side, the Golden Suns got a kill from
Savannah Meyer to get them to a service rotation that brought setter
Kenzie Garrett to the end line.
Garrett proceeded to collect consecutive aces to pull Tech within a point, 10-9. Garrett's strong service prowess proved to be too much for the Muleriders as the Golden Suns went on to score the final six points unanswered to emphatically win the fifth set, 15-10.
Statistically, the Golden Suns had four players with double-digit kills and were led by Hooks and Meyer with 18 apiece.
Erika Hernandez had 13 kills, followed by
BryAnna Young and her season-high 12 kills.
Samantha Wojtowicz was the only player in double-digits in digs as she had 29.
Setters
Emma Kiser and Garrett combined for 60 of the team's 70 assists in the match. Garrett had 35 while Kiser had 25.
The Golden Suns will now prepare for a road match at league-leading Ouachita Baptist next Tuesday. The match is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start on November 11.
