SEARCY, Ark. (AP) — Harding extended its home dominance over Ouachita Baptist, securing its 36th consecutive victory against the Tigers with a thrilling 3-1 Great American Conference win (26-24, 25-20, 22-25, 27-25) on Tuesday at Rhodes-Reaves Field House.
The Lady Bisons (8-5, 1-0) were led by
Jacey Lambert's career-high 16 kills and
Delaney Garner's 12 kills. Harding's stout blocking defense proved pivotal, recording eight blocks, with Garner contributing five.
Ouachita Baptist (8-5, 0-2) was paced by Riley Braziel's 16 kills and Leah Gardner's 10 kills. However, the Tigers struggled with attacking efficiency, posting a .191 hitting percentage.
Harding's strong serving and defensive performances made the difference, with 11 aces and 66 digs.
Olivia Wiedower tallied 51 assists, her fourth outing with 50 or more this season and third consecutive.
Tatum Fouche led Harding with 17 digs.
Set 1:
Harding took the first set 26-24 against Ouachita Baptist, overcoming 10 ties and four lead changes.
Delaney Garner's kill secured the set, capping a back-and-forth battle.
Maegan Lacy and
Jacey Lambert paced Harding with 4 kills each, while Riley Braziel led Ouachita Baptist with 7 kills.
Set 2:
Harding took the second set 25-20, fueled by strong serving and attacking.
Delaney Garner and
Maegan Lacy each had 4 kills, while
Olivia Wiedower added 3 aces. Harding's defense held Ouachita Baptist to a .114 hitting percentage, securing a 2-0 lead in the match.
Set 3:
Ouachita Baptist claimed the third set 25-22, ending Harding's chances of a sweep. Riley Braziel and Hillary McMahan paced Ouachita Baptist with 4 kills each. Harding's
Jacey Lambert had 6 kills, but the Lady Bisons struggled with attacking errors, allowing Ouachita Baptist to force a fourth set.
Set 4:
Harding rallied from a 17-14 deficit to force a decisive victory, taking the fourth 27-25. Trailing 22-20, Harding's
Jacey Lambert sparked a 7-3 run with 4 kills.
Olivia Wiedower's assist and Fouche Tatum's ace secured the set, capping an intense comeback. Lambert finished with 7 kills.
Harding returns to action on Thursday, Sept. 26, at Henderson State in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
Gallery: (9-24-2024) 2024 Volleyball vs. Ouachita Baptist
