ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita volleyball team got back in the win column with a 3-0 sweep of the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns on Thursday night at the Sturgis Center.
Set Scores: 25-22, 25-17, 25-9
Ouachita (10-6, 2-3 GAC) struck first in the opening set, but Arkansas Tech (8-8, 3-2 GAC) was quick to respond. The Tigers and Golden Suns went back and forth for most of the set, with Ouachita holding onto a slim lead. ATU mounted a comeback with a 5-0 run that gave the Suns a one-point, 19-18, lead. But the Tigers weren't ready to give up yet, as a 3-0 run put Ouachita back on top. Ouachita held onto its lead to take the first set 25-22.
The Tigers kept the momentum going in set two, stretching out to a five-point lead with the score of 12-7. Tech closed the gap to within one later in the set, but Ouachita came back to life. The Tigers rattled off seven straight points to gain a 24-16 advantage over the Suns. Ouachita took care of the last point soon thereafter and won the second set 25-17, taking a 2-0 match lead.
Ouachita came out in the third set at full speed with a 4-0 run. The Golden Suns responded and brought the score to 6-5, but then the Tigers found a new gear. Ouachita proceeded to go on a dominating 12-1 run, taking control of the match with a 12-point, 18-6 lead. ATU scored the next two points, but then the Tigers put together a stretch of six more points in a row to go up by a commanding score of 24-8. Ouachita closed out the set one point later, taking set three 25-9 and earning the 3-0 match sweep: the fifth of the year for the Tigers.
Tonight's sweep marks career win number 95 for Head Coach
Allison Frizzell-Kizer.
Riley Braziel and
Kailey Thedford led the way in the victory with 10 kills each, followed by
Haley Fairchild with seven.
Fairchild led the front-row defense with six total blocks. Three Tigers were next in line with two each.
Courtney Hanson led all setters with 32 assists, hitting the 600-assist mark for the season.
Avery Jauz led all defenders with 17 digs, followed by Braziel with 10. Jauz also led the team with four aces, tying a career high.
Braziel's 10 digs, combined with her 10 kills give the Decatur, Texas native her seventh double-double of the year.
The Tigers will be back in action with the final non-conference matchup of the year at home against the Lane College Dragons on Monday, October 7 at 6 p.m.
