SEARCY, Arkansas – The Ouachita volleyball team dropped its GAC road match against the Harding Bisons by the score of 3-1 Tuesday night.
Set Scores: 24-26, 20-25, 25-22, 25-27
Ouachita (8-5, 0-2 GAC) opened its first conference road trip of the season with a back-and-forth battle with the Harding Bisons (8-5, 1-0 GAC). The two teams were neck and neck until the Tigers took a five-point lead late in the first set. However, the Bisons responded with a run to tie to match. HU took the lead two points later and held on to win set one in extras 26-24.
Set two saw the Bisons keep momentum from the first set, take an early lead, and hold onto it. The Tigers tried to claw their way back into the set, but it was too late, and Harding took the second set 25-20.
The Tigers found themselves behind 2-0 entering the third set. Both teams opened with 3-0 runs. This proved to be the theme for the entire set, as both Ouachita and Harding would trade small runs, with the lead seeming to change with each one. The Bisons tied the set 22-22 after another 3-0 run. But the Tigers answered with three straight kills to win set three 25-22.
The fourth set went like the third, but with Ouachita holding a slight advantage for a majority of the frame. Harding mounted a comeback late in the set, taking a 24-22 lead off a 5-2 run. With match point looming, the Tigers rattled off a block and two kills to take a 25-24 lead, forcing extra points. However, the Bisons responded with a 3-0 run of their own, taking the set 27-25 and winning the match 3-1.
Riley Braziel led the offense with 16 kills.
Leah Gardner was next with 10 kills of her own. Braziel also tallied 10 digs for her fourth straight double-double.
Gardner tied with
Haley Fairchild for the team lead in blocks with four each.
Emily Adams was next with three.
Courtney Hanson led the Tigers with 31 assists, followed by
Mack Bidwell with 13. Hanson also recorded 15 digs for her ninth double-double of the season.
Avery Jauz led the back row with 20 digs, followed by Hanson with 15,
Kylie Kisgen with 13, and Braziel with 10.
The Tigers will look to bounce back this Thursday, September 26 when they take on the University of Arkansas at Monticello in Arkadelphia at 6 p.m.
