ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita volleyball team took down the Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma State 3-1 Thursday night at the Sturgis Center.
Set Scores: 25-22, 24-26, 25-21, 25-11.
The Thursday night GAC matchup between Ouachita (13-7, 4-4 GAC) and Southeastern Oklahoma State (8-10, 4-4 GAC) opened with the Savage Storm striking first. The two teams traded runs over the first half of the opening set, with the Tigers holding a slight advantage. Ouachita had an answer for the Storm each time they tried to make a run and kept Southeastern from tying the set late. Ouachita maintained its lead thanks to a late 3-0 run and finished off set one 25-22.
Ouachita scored first in the second set, but the Tigers' lead was short-lived. Southeastern responded quickly and from there, the two teams went right back to trading the lead back-and-forth. It wasn't until later in the set that either team found a rhythm as the Storm went on a 5-0 run that put them up 20-15. A few points later, Ouachita clawed all the way back to the set 23-23 after its own 5-0 run. The set went into extra points, but Southeastern took it 26-24 to tie the match 1-1.
The Tigers took the lead early in set number three after a 4-1 run. SEOSU tied it shortly after and took a lead of its own midway through the set. Ouachita retook the lead, just for the Storm to do the same. It wasn't until a late 3-0 run that the Tigers took the lead for the final time, going up 22-19. Ouachita closed out the set 25-21 to take a 2-1 match lead.
The fourth set was all Tigers. A 5-0 run put Ouachita up 8-3, and the Tigers' lead was never less than five points from that point on. Ouachita kept its foot on the gas with a 6-1 run that made it an 18-9 advantage. The Tigers ended the set on four straight points to take the set 25-11 and win the match 3-1.
Emily Adams led the offensive attack with 17 kills on a .421 hitting percentage.
Riley Braziel was next with 12 kills, followed by
Leah Gardner with 11, and
Kailey Thedford with 10.
Courtney Hanson dished out 48 assists on the night, her ninth 40-plus assist performance of the season.
Kylie Kisgen led the defense with 20 digs, followed by
Avery Jauz with 15, and
Peyton Church and Braziel who each had 11. Braziel's 11 digs earned the Decatur, Texas native her eighth double-double of the season.
Ouachita will be back in action tomorrow, Friday, October 18 against East Central University at 4 p.m. in the Sturgis Center of the Battle of the Tigers. Friday's match is a "Pink Out" that will include free t-shirts to the first 75 students in attendance.
