Box Score vs. Montevallo

Box Score vs. #12 Washburn

SEARCY, Ark. – The Lady Bison volleyball team hosted its first home matches Fri., at the Harding Volleyball Classic. HU defeated Montevallo in three games with scores of 30-19, 30-26, and 30-25. The Lady Bisons then fell to #12 Washburn in three games. Game scores against Washburn were 30-25, 30-14, and 30-27. Harding moved to 7-3 overall while the Falcons dropped to 3-7 and the Washburn Lady Blues improved their already stellar record to 11-1.

Harding sophomore Sarah Phipps came out swinging against the Lady Falcons with 14 kills and only one hitting error (.542). Manuela Nesheva topped Phipps with 16 kills and added seven digs. Leah Tepe grabbed another double-double with 38 assists and 10 digs. Meredith Rosenbaum led the Lady Bisons with 15 digs. Monika Tortorici led Montevallo with 10 kills and her sister, Lauren defended the back row with 17 digs.

Both Montevallo and Harding had five blocks each but the Lady Bisons hit .298 while the Lady Falcons had only a .119 hitting percentage.

The Lady Bisons kept the lead over the Washburn Lady Blues in the first game until the Lady Blues went ahead, 23-22. Washburn forged ahead to take the first game and claimed the second game with ease. Harding fought back in the final game and led 26-22 before a few untimely attack errors. Washburn tied it up at 27 and did not look back, scoring three in a row to win the match.

The Lady Bisons had their lowest hitting percentage this season (.030) while the Lady Blues hit a respectable .270. Tepe had her seventh double-double of the season with 29 assists and 10 digs. Rosenbaum led with 18 digs and Nesheva had a team-high nine kills.

Tessa Jones led the Lady Blues with 14 kills. Kate Hampson directed the Washburn offense with 44 assists and Erica Cowhick had a game-high 20 digs. The Lady Blues out-blocked the Lady Bisons 14-to-3.

Harding will play Eastern New Mexico Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and Missouri Southern State at 5 p.m. in the Rhodes Field House.