SEARCY – The Harding volleyball team gave up the first set but won the next three to defeat Ouachita 3-1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-14) on Tuesday in Great American Conference action at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.
RECORDS
Harding improves to 6-9 overall and 3-1 in the GAC. Ouachita falls to 7-5 overall and 2-2 in the GAC.
SET ONE HIGHLIGHTS
Ouachita jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the first set. Harding hung around and after a 4-0 run tied the set at 22. A Lady Bison service error and two ball handling errors gave the Tigers the set, 25-23.
SET TWO HIGHLIGHTS
Tied 8-8, Harding went on a 16-6 run on seven kills and had four blocks. With the score 24-17, the Lady Bisons had a block by Abigail Glosup and Sara Smith to win the set and tie the match at one a piece.
SET THREE HIGHLIGHTS
Ouachita lead 5-4 in the third set until Harding went on 12-1 run on six kills and four service aces. Up 19-12, the Lady Bisons closed the set on a 6-2 run to win the set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
SET FOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Harding took a 10-4 lead in the third set and didn't look back as it won 25-14. The Lady Bisons had 16 kills, only two attack errors and hit .538 in the set.
TEAM STATS
Harding hit a season-high .349 in the match. It was the second time this season the Lady Bisons have hit over .300 in a match. Harding hit .302 in the 3-0 win against Henderson State earlier this season.
The Lady Bisons had 14 team blocks in the match to make it the sixth time this season Harding has had over 10 blocks.
The Lady Bisons had 59 kills which was the most by Harding in a GAC match this season.
Ouachita Baptist hit .171 and the Lady Bisons forced 21 Tiger attack errors.
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Harding was led by junior middle blocker Sara Smith who had career-high 18 kills, hit a career-high .615 and had five blocks. Senior outside hitter Molly Howard had 17 kills and hit .438 for the Lady Bisons. Freshman middle blocker Zoe Hardin had eight kills and added nine blocks.
Junior setter Abigail Glosup captured a double-double with 22 assists and 10 digs. Junior defensive specialist Anna Leigh Cargile had 14 digs for to lead the defense.
Freshman setter Rachel Heussner got the start for Harding and had a season-high 30 assists.
Ouachita was led by Abby Pickett who had 16 kills. Stephanie Pollnow added 10 kills for the Tigers.
The Ouachita defense was led by Ashley Wake who had 18 digs.
QUOTE
Harding Head Coach Meredith Fear: "We faced a solid team in Ouachita tonight. We came out slow and out of sorts in the first set but really put things together well in the second, third and fourth sets. It was our best offensive match to date and all hitters were contributing. We also nailed our passes in serve receive, served tough and put up a great block. It was an all around great effort. We needed a good win against a good team and will look to do the same on Thursday against Southern Arkansas."
UP NEXT
Harding will take a break from GAC action on Friday when it hosts NCAA Division I opponent Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 6 p.m., at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.
