MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The sixth-ranked Harding volleyball team defeated Southern Arkansas 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-13) Thursday in Great American Conference action. The match was scheduled to be played earlier in March but due to COVID the match was rescheduled.
Harding will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming GAC Tournament. Harding will host the winner between No. 4 seed Arkansas-Monticello and No. 5 seed Ouachita Baptist on April 8. Arkansas-Monticello and Ouachita Baptist will play Tuesday April 6th. If Harding wins on April 8, the Lady Bisons will host the semifinals and the finals of the GAC Tournament played April 10 and 11. The Eastern Division won the coin toss for volleyball hosting rights if matching seeds advance to the tournament's final four portion.
It is the third time in the NCAA era (since 1997) the Lady Bisons have started the season 10-0. The last time was in 2017 when Harding started 11-0.
Harding improves to 10-0 overall and 10-0 in the GAC.
Southern Arkansas falls to 1-9 overall and 1-9 in the GAC. The Muleriders, the No. 6 seed, will take on No. 3 seed Henderson State April 6th with a chance to meet No. 2 seed Arkansas Tech on April 8th.
FIRST SET
Harding jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the first set on six kills, three by Libby Hinton. The Lady Bisons cruised to a 25-10 victory. Harding had 14 kills and hit .500 in the set. The Lady Bisons only had one attack error in the set.
SECOND SET
With the second set tied at four, Harding went on a 6-0 run on two kills and two aces to lead 10-4. Southern Arkansas battled back to cut the lead to four, 22-18 but two kills and an ace gave the Lady Bisons the set 25-19.
THIRD SET
Harding jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the third set and did not look back as it won 25-13. The Lady Bisons had 16 kills and hit .441 in the set. The Lady Bisons only had one attack error in the set.
STATS
Harding
- Harding had 42 kills, a season-low seven attack errors and hit for a season-high .385
- The Lady Bisons were led by Libby Hinton and Logan Smith who each had eight kills.
- Sarah Morehead had 34 assists for Harding.
- Harding tied a season-high with 11 aces. Morehead and Amber Robin each had four. The Lady Bisons had as many in the opening match of the season against Arkansas-Monticello.
- Emma Winiger led the defense with nine digs.
Southern Arkansas
- Southern Arkansas had 29 kills, 18 attack errors and hit .122
- Morgan Gross led the offense with 11 kills.
- Morgan Schuster and Bailey Kirk each had seven digs to lead the defense.
- Southern Arkansas did not have a block in the match. It was the first time since Southeastern Oklahoma in 2018 that an opponent did not have a block in the match.
