SHAWNEE, Okla. — Southwestern Oklahoma State, the tournament's No. 3 seed, survived a five-set marathon against No. 2 Harding (24-5) in the Great American Conference Tournament semifinals Friday, clinching the victory with a dramatic 17-15 win in the decisive fifth set. The loss ends Harding's season and snaps the Lady Bisons' eight-match winning streak.

The Bulldogs (16-14) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, winning the first two sets 25-21 and 25-23. However, Harding responded strongly, dominating the next two sets 25-17 and 25-18, setting up a winner-take-all fifth set.

The final frame proved to be the most dramatic. Harding used a late surge to take a 14-11 lead, seemingly securing the match point on a kill by Ella Drake for a 15-12 finish. However, the point was sent to official replay review and subsequently overturned, wiping the match point and leading to a deuce. SWOSU capitalized on the shift, rattling off consecutive points to secure the 17-15 victory.

Harding was led by outside hitter Ella Drake, who logged a match-high 19 kills and two aces, and Josie Bishop, who added 16 kills and five total blocks. Setter Olivia Wiedower posted a staggering 52 assists and 10 digs, while libero Maddie Burrough anchored the defense with 29 digs.

The loss brings Harding's impressive 2025 season to a close, finishing with a 24-5 overall record.