SEARCY – It took five sets but the Harding volleyball team defeated Northwestern Oklahoma 3-2 (23-25, 25-14, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13) Friday in Great American Conference action at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.

It was Harding's seventh straight win and its fifth straight GAC win.

Harding improves to 15-6 overall and 6-2 in the GAC.

Northwestern Oklahoma falls to 15-8 overall and 5-3 in the GAC.

FIRST SET

Trailing 4-3 in the first set, Northwestern Oklahoma went on a 5-0 run to lead 8-4. Harding answered back with a 4-0 run to tie the set at eight. Trailing 20-16, Harding went on a 6-0 run on five kills to lead 22-20. The Rangers scored five of the next six points to win the set 25-23.

SECOND SET

Leading 9-7 in the second set, Harding went on a 5-2 run on four kills to lead 14-9. Leading 19-13, the Lady Bisons won six out of the next seven points to win the set 25-14. Harding had 16 kills and hit .325 in the set.

THIRD SET

Tied at five in the third set, Northwestern Oklahoma went on a 9-2 run on five kills to lead 14-7. Harding battled back to tie the set at 23 but back-to-back kills by Jennifer Eubanks gave the Rangers the set 25-23. Northwestern Oklahoma had 15 kills in the set.

FOURTH SET

Harding jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the fourth set. Trailing 9-4, Northwestern Oklahoma went on a 7-1 run to lead 11-10. Tied at 19, the Rangers scored the next three points to lead 22-19. Harding answered back with two kills and forced an attack error to tie the set at 22. Trailing 23-22, Harding won the next three points off two kills and a block to win the set 25-23. The Lady Bisons had 17 kills in the set.

FIFTH SET

Harding took an early 3-1 lead in the fifth set until Northwestern Oklahoma answered back to tie the set at four. The set stayed close until the end. Trailing 13-12, Harding won the next three points on a kill, a block and an attack error to win the set 15-13.

STATS

Harding

-          Harding had four players in double-figure kills as the Lady Bisons had a season-high 74 kills.

-          Libby Hinton had a season-high 22 kills, hit .404 and had season-high eight blocks for Harding.

-          Logan Smith had 17 kills and had a season-high 21 digs.

-          Amber Robin and Kelli McKinnon each had 11 kills for Harding.

-          Sarah Morehead had a season-high 55 assists and also had 10 digs.

-          Harding had 102 digs in the match which is the second most this season. The Lady Bisons had 104 at Ouachita Baptist.

-          Katherine Cowart had a career-high 33 digs for Harding. Emma Winiger had a season-high 18 digs. Kinley Schnell also had 11 digs.

-          Harding had 12 blocks in the match which was the fourth time this season the Lady Bisons have finished in double-figures.

-          Along with Hinton, Ally Stoner and Logan Smith each had five blocks.

Northwestern Oklahoma

-          Northwestern Oklahoma was led by Jennifer Eubanks who had 18 kills and hit .395.

-          The Rangers had 60 kills, 24 attack errors and hit .182 in the match.

-          Northwestern Oklahoma had 117 digs led by Sydnee Miller who had 38.

-          Kaydee Honeycutt had 15 kills for the Rangers and 28 digs.

UP NEXT

Harding will be back in action Saturday when it hosts Southwestern Oklahoma at 11 a.m., at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.