Box Score (html)
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – In a matchup between two teams tied atop the Great American Conference volleyball standings, SWOSU took momentum early and rode it to a straight-set victory over Henderson State on Friday night at the Duke Wells Center.
The Bulldogs won the match by set scores of 25-22, 25-17, 25-19, and they did so with a strong offensive performance coupled with stellar defense at the net and from the back row. SWOSU hit .277 for the match – better than .300 in the second and third sets – while committing just 14 attack errors for the match.
Four different players had 10 or more kills for the Dawgs, who again used their balanced offensive attack to keep the Reddies on their heels.
Elizabeth McVicker and
Emily Holm put down 11 kills apiece while
Jenny Tackett and
Danusia Sipa Borgeaud each had 10, with Borgeaud recording her 600th kill in the third set to move into the top 10 for career kills at SWOSU.
Allie Hoang and
Addie Aman added five kills apiece with one combined attack error as those six players accounted for all 52 of the Bulldogs kills.
Kaitlyn Dillon led the defense with 25 digs, while
Klemson Lancaster added 11 and Borgeaud finished off a double-double with 10, helping SWOSU to an advantage of 69-to-62 in digs. The one statistical category led by the Reddies was in blocks, where the GAC's best blocking team had nine compared to six for SWOSU, but McVicker sent back five HSU attempts to lead the Dawgs. Hoang dished out a team-leading 39 assists to go along with seven digs and two block assists.
"Tonight we played like a team who knows where they want to go and followed the steps to get there," Head Coach
Josh Collins said following the match. "We were confident, yet poised. We adapted when we needed to and leaned on the strong family that we have worked so hard to create. Once again, we have to hit the repeat button tomorrow against another well-coached and talented team."
The victory is the fifth consecutive for the Bulldogs, who improve to 16-4 on the year and 9-1 in Great American Conference play. SWOSU's rest will be minimal as the Dawgs turn around and face Ouachita on Saturday at 2:00 pm in Arkadelphia.
