SEARCY – The Harding volleyball team had 15 service aces as it defeated Southern Nazarene 3-0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-14) Friday in Great American Conference action at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.

It was the second most aces in match since Harding joined the NCAA in 1997. The school record is 16 and was set against West Alabama in 2006.

At the match, the volleyball team and Harding fans showed their support to former Harding player Molly Howard Gerwig who has stage IV Neuroendocrine Colon cancer. Molly played at Harding from 2012-15 and was a graduate assistant for the volleyball team in 2017 and 2018. The Lady Bisons warmed up in shirts showing support for Molly.

Harding improves to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the GAC.

Southern Nazarene falls to 5-9 overall and 0-6 in the GAC.

FIRST SET

Harding opened the first set with a 4-0 run on three aces until Southern Nazarene battled back to tie the set at 11. Trailing 18-15, the Lady Bisons went on a 4-0 run to lead 19-18. Up 23-22, Harding had a kill and a block to win the set 25-22. Harding had 14 kills in the set as Kelli McKinnon had seven. The Lady Bisons also had five aces in the set.

SECOND SET

Up 9-7 in the second set, Harding went on a 12-2 run on eight kills to lead 21-9. A kill by Kelli McKinnon gave Harding the set 25-13. Kelli McKinnon had six more kills in the set and her sister Skyler McKinnon had five. Harding hit .378 in the set and held Southern Nazarene to hitting .068.

THIRD SET

Trailing 7-3 in the third set, Harding went on a 10-1 run on six kills and four aces to lead 13-8. Harding went on to win the set 25-14. The Lady Bisons had 13 kills and seven aces in the set.

STATS

Harding

-          Harding had 41 kills, 11 attack errors and hit .252.

-          The Lady Bisons were led by Kelli McKinnon who had a season-high 17 kills, only one attack error and hit .640.

-          Harding had 57 digs led by Emma Winiger who had 16. Logan Smith also had 11 digs and Kinley Schnell had 10.

-          For the second time this season, Amber Robin tied a career-high with six service aces. Libby Hinton and Emma Winiger also had three aces.

Southern Nazarene

-          Southern Nazarene had 30 kills, 15 attack errors and hit .130.

-          Whitney Bowie led the Crimson Storm with nine kills.

-          Isabella Mitchell led the defense with 15 digs.

UP NEXT

The Lady Bisons will back in action Saturday when it hosts No. 19 Oklahoma Baptist at 11 a.m., at the Rhodes-Reaves Field House.