SEARCY, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech volleyball team completed their regular season with a close match up with the Harding Bisons and fell 3-2. Due to this loss, the Suns were bumped down to fifth in conference standings and is set to play Southwestern Oklahoma in the conference championship.
The Bisons began the set with back-to-back kills before Savannah Meyer gained a kill to score Tech's first point. The score difference ranged no higher than two points where they were constantly tied every other point throughout the rest of the set. By 19-19, the Bisons bumped up their score to 21-19 but gave the Suns a free point after a service error. Kenzie Garrett was able to hit a service ace for another Tech point, but the Bisons grabbed a four-point run and took set one 25-21.
Set two allowed both teams to steadily gain momentum until they tied 3-3. The Bisons gained a kill and surged to a six-point streak and led 9-3. A block by BryAnna Young and Erika Hernandez allowed the Suns to gain a point before a Sun attack error pushed the Bisons to 10-4. Tech answered back with a four-point run and closed off the score gap at 10-8. The Suns later earned a seven-point streak and led 16-14 after many Harding attack errors, including a block by Henley Hooks and Hernandez, and a kill by Madison Crum. The Suns maintained the lead the rest of the set and a final kill by Hooks gave the Suns set two 25-21.
Crum began set three with a kill but the Bisons ran off the energy and scored five straight points and led 5-1. Scoring was tossed to-and-fro but the score difference remained no higher than six points. Harding kept the lead the rest of the set and forced the Suns to their lowest attack percentage of the night. An attack error by the Suns allowed the Bisons to earn set three 25-19.
Harding gained their first point of set four through a Sun attack error. Karlly Dillard gave the Suns their first point and the scored volleyed until a kill by Crum soared the Suns to a four-point streak. The Suns led 6-3 until the Bisons later met them at 8-8. The Bisons attained one more point and briefly led 9-8, but a service error pushed the Suns to another four-point run. The Suns were offensively strong through set four and Crum and Hooks racked kill stats.
Tech went on a five-point streak briefly after and led 19-11, and a kill by Young gave the Suns a 20-12 lead. Thereafter, the Bisons caught up and closed off the gap at 20-17. Hernandez and Hooks gained more kills for a 23-17 lead, and Hooks earned the last kill for the set as the Suns attained set four 25-21 and forced a fifth set.
The Bisons were quick to score for set five and obtained an early lead at 5-1. A service error by the Bisons gave the Suns a point, but immediately scored after and widened the score gap to 8-2. Kills by Young, Hernandez and Dillard slowly gathered points for Tech, but the Suns were unable to overcome the Bisons and fell 15-11.
Henley Hooks led the Suns in kills totaling 14. Madison Crum followed shortly after with 13 and BryAnna Young at 11. Erika Hernandez and Hooks tied and led in blocks at four, and Karlly Dillard at three. Kylie Lambert led in assists at 25 and earned a double-double with 13 digs, as well. Kenzie Garrett followed briefly after Lambert with 23 assists and also earned a double-double with 10 digs. Samantha Wojtowicz led in digs with 31.
UP NEXT
The Golden Suns head to Enid next week and clinched the fifth seed in the tournament. They are matched with #4 Southwestern Oklahoma State and set to play on Wednesday, November 11 at 5:30 p.m. Live stats will be provided, and live stream will be through pay-per-view through The GAC Network.
