Box Score
Harding: Mollie Arnold – 21 kills and 23 digs
Harding: Taryn Eubank – 53 assists and 10 digs
Harding: Lisa Copeland – 23 digs
Harding: Shelby Daniel – career-high 20 digs
Southern Nazarene: Kira Roberts – 15 kills and 4 blocks
Southern Nazarene: Abbey Bell – 30 digs
SEARCY – The Harding volleyball team defeated Southern Nazarene 3-2 on Thursday in Great American Conference action to remain atop the standings. The Lady Bisons improved to 19-7 overall and 8-0 in the GAC.
With the win, Harding extended its conference win streak to 25 matches which ties the record the Lady Bisons set during the 2003-05 seasons. HU's current streak dates back to the 2011 season.
Southern Nazarene (17-7, 7-1 GAC) suffered its first GAC loss this season and takes sole possession of second place in the standings.
With the first set tied 16-16, Harding went on an 8-1 run to take a 23-17 lead. Southern Nazarene battled back to cut the HU lead to two on a 4-0 run on two kills by Kira Roberts. Two straight kills by the Lady Bisons gave Harding the set 25-21.
The Crimson Storm took a 9-5 lead in the second set as they didn't allow HU to get any closer than two the rest of the way. Southern Nazarene took the set 25-20 and tied the match 1-1.
Southern Nazarene jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third set as SNU forced Harding to four attack errors. The Lady Bisons battled back on a 4-0 run to cut the lead to one. The Crimson Storm then went on 4-1 run to take a 12-7 lead as SNU forced HU to three more errors. Harding's Anna Leigh Cargile served two aces as HU went on a 4-0 run to cut the lead to 12-11. Southern Nazarene put the set out of reach with a 6-0 run on three kills. The Crimson Storm took the set 25-15 and the match lead 2-1. SNU forced HU to nine attack errors in the set.
Knowing they had to win the fourth set, HU jumped out to an 8-2 lead on four kills by senior outside hitter Mollie Arnold. Southern Nazarene crawled back into the match and cut the HU lead to three (13-10) on a kill by Taylor Jacobs. Harding took a 17-11 lead on a 5-1 run as Arnold had two service aces and a kill. Back-to-back kills by junior middle blocker Liv Savage gave HU the set 25-19.
With the momentum heading into the fifth set, Arnold gave Harding a 2-0 the lead on back-to-back kills. The Crimson Storm went on a 4-0 run to take a 4-2 lead. Harding then battled back and took the lead (8-7) on a 6-3 run as HU forced four SNU errors. Southern Nazarene took the lead again as they forced three straight Harding attack errors to take a 10-8 lead. Harding took back the lead (13-11) on a 5-1 run on five kills, two by junior outside hitter Marindia Turner. A kill by senior middle blocker Alyssa Short allowed HU to serve for match point. Like the whole match SNU wouldn't go down without a fight as a kill by Roberts cut the lead to one but Harding won the match on a kill by Savage.
Harding was led by Arnold who had 21 kills and 23 digs for HU. It was the 14th time this season she has had a double-double, seventh time with 20 or more kills and the second time with 20 or more digs. Turner had 13 kills and Short had 11.
Junior setter Taryn Eubank captured her 11th double-double of the season with 53 assists and 10 digs.
Senior defensive specialist Lisa Copeland had 22 digs. Three Harding players had four blocks in the match – Eubank, Savage and Short.
Southern Nazarene was led by Roberts and Emilee Crawford who each had 15 kills. Abbey Bell led the SNU defense with 30 digs. Emily Dick had nine blocks and Jamie Hope had eight.
Harding will play its second of a four match road trip on Saturday as they travel to Weatherford, Okla., to face Southwestern Oklahoma at 3 p.m.
