Box Score

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Despite a season-high 61 kills, Harding dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker to Alabama-Huntsville on Thursday in Huntsville, Ala. It was the first time the Lady Bisons have fallen to the Lady Chargers. The Lady Bisons fall to 5-4 on the season.

In the first set, Harding jumped out to an 8-4 lead but three attack errors allowed the Lady Chargers (3-6) to battle their way back in it. Midway through the set, Harding went on a four-point rally to take a 21-17 lead. Alabama-Huntsville answered back on a 5-1 run to tie the set 23-23. After exchanging points, the two teams were tied at 28-28 but Alabama-Huntsville took the set 30-28 on two straight points.

After being down 1-0, Harding took advantage of the Lady Chargers miscues, going on a 12-3 run to take a 22-13 lead. UAH mounted a late charge but the Harding offense put the set away, 25-19.

In the third set, Harding took a 5-3 lead on three-straight kills. Two hitting errors by the Lady Chargers and two Lady Bison blocks allowed Harding to take a 17-12 lead midway through the set. Harding forced three more errors late in the set to take a 23-16 lead. The Lady Bisons took the set when freshman middle blocker Alyssa short and junior middle blocker Alex Smith blocked an attack by UAH's Kelsey Williams. Harding took a 2-1 lead by a score of 25-17.

Harding looked to take the match in the four set but UAH mounted a comeback. The two teams were tied 19-19 late in the set. The Lady Chargers went on a 6-3 run to take the set, 25-22.

In the deciding fifth set, Alabama-Huntsville went on a 4-0 run to take a 9-7 lead. The Lady Bisons tried to mount a comeback but fell short as the Lady Chargers took home the victory on a kill and a service ace.

Harding was led by freshman outside hitter Mollie Arnold who had a career-high 24 kills in the match. Senior middle blocker Samantha Anderson tied her season-high of 14 kills. Sophomore outside hitter Reagan Smith rounded out the double-figure kills with 11.

Amber Schinzing collected 51 assists in the match for the second time in her career. She also had 12 digs in the match for her seventh career double-double. Senior defensive Specialist Emily Tate had 17 digs to lead the Harding defense.

Alabama-Huntsville was led by Jessica Ruple who had 16 kills in the match.

The Lady Chargers had 57 kills on 159 attempts with 29 hitting errors (.176 hitting percentage).

Harding had 24 hitting errors in the match. They also had seven service errors. It was the fifth time this season Harding has had over 20 hitting errors in a match. They are 2-3 in those five games.

The Harding front row had season-high 12 blocks in the match.

The Lady Bisons travel from Huntsville to Florence, Ala. on Friday as they will take part in the North Alabama Tournament. Harding will face top-ranked Tampa on Friday at 11 a.m., and then later that afternoon they will take on host team North Alabama at 3 p.m.