VOLLEYBALL OPENS ITS 2ND-ANNUAL TECH INVITATIONAL WITH
TWO VICTORIES, IMPROVES TO 13-7 ON SEASON

         RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – The Golden Suns opened its 2nd-Annual Arkansas Tech Volleyball Invitational here Friday at Tucker Coliseum by posting a three-set win over Central Baptist (25-8, 25-9, 25-13) and then finished the day with a thrilling five-match win against East Central (23-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-27, 15-10).

The win over East Central extracted some revenge for the Golden Suns as ECU posted a four-set win over Tech on Sept. 16 in Ada, Okla., to end the Golden Suns nine-match road swing.

With the two wins, Tech improves to 13-7 overall on the season and will conclude the two-day tournament on Saturday with a 3 p.m. match-up against Central Oklahoma.

In Friday’s first match against Central Baptist (4-7 on the season), Tech took the lead in all three sets and cruised to their first victory of the invite. In the match, the Golden Suns were led by two freshmen, outside hitter Carly Florian (Wilmington, Ill.) and middle blocker Brittany Ryan (Mena, Ark). Florian posted nine kills and hit .474, while Ryan added five kills, four blocks and hit .444. In addition to Florian and Ryan, junior right side hitter Ashlynn Hamrick (Jackson, Mich.) had six kills and three block assists in the win.

CBC was led by four kills apiece from Kristin Wallace and Suzanne Feimster.

Meanwhile, in the nightcap against ECU, who is 12-9 on the season, Tech used strong serving in the fifth and final set to post the 15-10 win. In the fifth set, Tech jumped out to a 5-1 lead, before ECU tied the set at 6-6 on an attack error by junior middle blocker Sarah Von Lienen (Lakeland, Tenn.).  From that point, Tech outscored ECU, 9-4, to earn the win.

In the first set, Tech came out firing as it scored six of the first nine points. Tech would later lose the lead after an attack error by sophomore outside hitter Laura Farney (Morton, Ill.). The Golden Suns took the lead back, only to lose it two more times, before the Tigers retook the lead on a kill by Katy Fields and cruised to the 25-23 win.

Tech jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the second set and led 24-18 on a kill by Florian, before ECU scored the next six points to tie the set at 24. Following a timeout by Tech, the Golden Suns regrouped and closed out the match with a kill by Hamrick and an attack error by Fields to earn the 26-24 win.

The third set featured eight ties, but only one lead change as Tech used the play of Von Lienen to forge out to a 2-1 lead in the match thanks to its 25-21 win. In the set, Von Lienen posted five kills on nine attempts and had a total of 3.5 blocks and ended the set with a kill.

In the fourth set, East Central took the lead early and held it until an attack error by Fields tied the set at 21. Tech would tie it three more times, until ECU scored the final two points to post the 27-25 win and forced the deciding fifth set.

Farney led the way for Tech as she tied a career and season-high with 19 kills and recorded only three attack errors. In addition, she posted her seventh double-double of the season as she had a match-high 21 digs. Other highlights for Tech was Von Lienen, who had seven blocks and added 19 kills in the win, while Ryan had seven kills and six blocks. Hamrick (11) and Florian also posted double-digits in kills.

Defensively, Tech recorded 82 digs, as sophomore libero Brennae Benda (Woodstock, Ill.) added 21 digs, while junior setter Kera Dukic (White Lake, Mich.) posted a double-double with 52 assists and 14 digs.   

ECU was paced by Emily Holombek, who had 17 kills, while Holly Hicks had 16 kills. Jacqueline Sparks added 15 kills and Fields had 11 kills and 18 digs.  

Here are the other results from Friday’s first-day of action at the Tech Invitational.

Match 1 - Tech def. Central Baptist, 3-0 (25-8, 25-9, 25-13)

Match 2 – Henderson St. def. East Central, 3-1 (29-27, 25-21, 17-25, 25-22)

Match 3 – Ark.-Monticello def. Central Baptist, 3-0 (25-9, 25-13, 25-14)

Match 4 – Henderson St. def. Central Oklahoma, 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-17)

Match 5 –Tech def. East Central, 3-2 (23-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-27, 15-10)

-- Tech Athletics --