RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – The Ouachita volleyball team closed out the regular season with a 3-0 sweep over the Golden Suns of Arkansas Tech Thursday.
The set scores for the final regular season match were 25-16, 25-21 and 25-19.
Ouachita and Arkansas Tech opened the set fairly even, with Ouachita taking a slim three-point lead early on. ATU tied the set at 12 each before the Tigers found a groove for a 7-1 run to put Ouachita up 19-13. The Tigers kept their foot on the gas, ending the set with back-to-back kills from
Leah Gardner to cap off a 6-1 run and give Ouachita a 25-16 victory in set one.
Set two was kept closer with neither side having more than a three-point lead until the final point. It was a 3-0 run in the middle of the set that proved to be the difference as it took the Tigers from down by one to up by two. Ouachita held onto their thin advantage to the end, winning the second set 25-21 and taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
The third set saw the Golden Suns come out and take control initially with a four-point lead. With ATU leading 14-11, the Tigers put together a 9-1 run that included five kills to take a 20-15 lead. A 4-0 run put the Tigers at match point 24-18 and
Leah Gardner ended things with a kill to give Ouachita a 25-19 win in the set and secured a 3-0 sweep of the Suns.
As a team, Ouachita outhit Tech .281 to .109 and recorded 10 more kills than the Suns.
Leading the Tiger offense was
Kayla Steinmeyer with 12 kills and a .370 hitting percentage.
Leah Gardner was next, posting nine kills and a .500 hitting percentage.
Staying on the front row,
Haley Fairchild led the team with three blocks.
Courtney Hanson led the setters with 27 assists.
Avery Jauz racked up 21 digs on the back row.
The Tigers finish the regular season 17-14 overall and 9-7 in GAC play, giving them their second straight winning season.
The Tigers have clinched a berth to the 2023 Great American Conference Tournament as the seven seed and will take on two-seed Oklahoma Baptist on Thursday, November 16 at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Check back to OBUtigers.com for all news and updates about Ouachita volleyball and the rest of Ouachita's athletic teams.
