Tournament Bracket
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No. 1 Harding (25-7) vs. No. 8 Arkansas-Monticello (12-18)
Location: Hot Springs, Ark.
When: Thursday
Time: 5 p.m.
Series: HU leads 18-0
Coaches: Harding – Meredith Fear (54-13, 2nd season); Arkansas-Monticello – Peter Cruz
Live Stats/Live Video – links available on HardingSports.com
Harding
- Harding finished the regular season with a 25-7 overall record and captured the Great American Conference Regular Season Championship with a 14-0 conference record.
- HU will be the No. 1 seed in the GAC Tournament. The Lady Bisons will be looking for their second straight GAC Tournament Championship. HU defeated Arkansas Tech 3-1 in the finals last season for its first conference tournament crown since 2003 in the Gulf South Conference Tournament.
- Harding heads into the tournament winning its last eight matches. HU's last loss came in the Missouri Southern Tournament to then ranked No. 4 Central Missouri 3-2. The Lady Bisons also lost to Emporia State in the tournament 3-0. Since Sept. 21st, Harding has won 17 of 19 matches.
- Harding's current conference winning streak is at 31 matches, dating back to the 2011 season. HU broke the previous record of 25 against Southwestern Oklahoma on Oct. 26. The Lady Bisons will look to continue their streak next fall.
- Harding has an 8-7 record this season at a neutral site but is 9-0 on the road.
- The Lady Bisons are led by senior outside hitter Mollie Arnold who averages 3.97 kills which ranks first in the GAC and 22nd in NCAA Division II. She also averages 3.17 digs per set. Junior setter Taryn Eubank ranks second in the GAC in assists with an average of 9.69 assists per set and senior middle blocker Alyssa Short ranks first in the GAC in hitting percentage (.327).
- The Harding defense is led by senior defensive specialist Lisa Copeland who ranks second in the GAC in in digs averages 4.77 per set. Junior middle blocker Liv Savage ranks fourth in the GAC in blocks, averaging 0.97 blocks per set.
- As a team, Harding ranks first in the GAC in assists (12.2 aps), digs (17.3 dps) and opponent hitting percentage (.141). HU ranks second in kills (13.1).
Arkansas-Monticello
- Arkansas-Monticello heads into the contest with a 12-18 overall record and will be the No. 8 seed in the tournament as they went 2-11 in the GAC this season.
- The Cotton Blossoms have lost their last six matches and their last nine GAC matches.
- Arkansas-Monticello is led by Tori Bozzo who averages 2.74 kills per set and 2.18 digs per set. Tusalava Kusea leads the defense averaging 3.09 digs per set.
- The Cotton Blossoms are coached by Peter Cruz.
Series
- Harding leads the series between the two teams 18-0. UAM is in its ninth year of competition.
- The Lady Bisons defeated UAM in both matches during the regular season. When the two teams met in Searcy , HU won (25-20, 25-20, 25-17). In Monticello, HU won 3-0 (25-20, 25-11, 25-14).
- It will be the first time the two teams have met in a conference tournament and it will be the first time they have met on a neutral floor.
