Box Score (html)
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – SWOSU had early leads in two of three sets against No. 16-ranked Arkansas Tech, but the Golden Suns had the answer and dispatched of the Bulldogs in straight sets on Friday evening at Tucker Coliseum.
Tech led for most of the first set, but outscored the Bulldogs 12-4 over the final half of the set to run away with it. SWOSU responded with a strong start in the second set, scoring the first five points and leading by five on multiple occasions before ATU battled back and tied the set at 7-7. The teams would be tied on nine occasions – the last at 16-16, which was the point at which the Golden Suns mounted a 7-0 run to take control of the set.
SWOSU again started well in the third set, pushing their lead to four at 15-11 after back-to-back kills by
Jenny Tackett and
Valerie Vermillion. Arkansas Tech called for time and proceeded to score the next five points and regain the lead, but stayed with the Golden Suns and scored three straight points on kills by
Sofia Gruden and
DeLayni Fine to stay within one point at 21-20. That would be as close as the Dawgs could get, however, as ATU scored four of the final five points of the set to put the match away.
Vermillion led the Bulldogs with seven kills while
Danusia Sipa Borgeaud and Fine had six apiece.
Kodee Avery led the Bulldogs with 26 assists and seven digs while
Kaitlyn Dillon had a team-high nine digs.
Sofia Gruden had two blocks for the Dawgs, but ATU had a 6-to-3 advantage on blocks at the net.
SWOSU (9-14, 5-3 GAC) returns to action tomorrow afternoon, taking on Harding at 2:00 pm in Searcy, Arkansas.
