ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - After claiming a share of the 2016 Great American Conference volleyball championship and starting the 2017 campaign at 7-1, optimism abounds for the Ouachita Baptist Lady Tigers volleyball team, who will begin the task of defending that conference title on Tuesday, Sept. 12 with the conference opener against Arkansas-Monticello. 

Match time at the Sturgis Physical Education Center is set for 6:30 p.m. 

Offensively, the Lady Tigers have been a disciplined unit, hitting .238 for the season. The one-two combination of Kori Bullard and Adrianna Nolly has proven to be exceptionally effective in the middle the season, combining for 5.75 kills per set. Meanwhile, Paige Williams and Tabatha Huckabee have added pressure from the outside, as Huckabee leads the way with 78 kills. 

Stormi Leonard is off to a solid start as the team's primary setter, averaging 9.52 assists per set, while Nikki Clay and Julianna Mack have provided steady back-line defense in the early part of the season. 

After Tuesday's home conference opener, the Lady Tigers will head to Russellville for this weekend's Holiday Inn Spikefest hosted by Arkansas Tech, then resume GAC play next Tuesday at Southern Arkansas before returning to Arkadelphia to face Arkansas Tech on Sept. 21.