VOLLEYBALL FALLS IN FIVE SETS TO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA IN FINAL MATCH OF ITS OWN TOURNAMENT, DUKIC NAMED TOURNEY MVP

         RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Volleyball couldn’t quite close the door on Central Oklahoma here Saturday at Tucker Coliseum in the final match of the 2nd-Annual Tech Invitational as the Bronchos collected a thrilling five-set win (25-19, 25-20, 11-25, 18-25, 17-15).

With the loss, Tech finished the tournament with a 2-1 record and is now 13-8 on the season, while UCO finished with a 2-1 record and is now 10-10 on the season.

Against UCO, Tech came out early and held their own as the team’s exchanged leads twice and drawing four ties in the set, before UCO’s Kristen Wilson connected on a kill that pushed the Bronchos in front for good enroute to posting a 25-19 win.

In the second set, Tech kept it interesting early again, before UCO rebounded and over the lead for good in the middle of the set and held on for the 25-20 win to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Tech, though, responded as it jumped out to an early lead and kept UCO at a distance in posting a 25-11 win. In the set, Tech hit .368 and recorded 18 kills, while limiting UCO to a .000 hitting percentage.

Meanwhile, in the fourth set, Tech sprinted out to a 6-0 lead, before UCO scored its first point on an attack error by sophomore outside hitter Laura Farney (Morton, Ill.). From that point, Tech’s lead was never in any real danger as UCO was only able to get within two points of the Golden Sun lead.

The fifth and deciding set featured 13 ties and six lead changes as neither team could really pull away from the other with the biggest lead being two points, at the end of the set by the Bronchos.

Farney, who was one of two Golden Suns named to the Tech Invitational All-Tournament Team, led the way with a career-high 20 kill and also posted her eighth double-double of the season as she added 12 digs and hit .356 for the match. In addition to Farney, junior middle blocker Sarah Von Lienen (Lakeland, Tenn.) had 16 kills and three blocks in the loss, while sophomore outside hitter Kelly O’Malley (Billings, Mont.) added 13 kills and a 12 digs.

Defensively, sophomore libero Brennae Benda (Woodstock, Ill.) picked up 23 digs as the Golden Suns outdug UCO, 69-63, but UCO outblocked Tech, 12-7.

Junior setter Kera Dukic (White Lake, Mich.), who named the Tech Invitational’s Most Valuable Player, paced the Tech offense with 55 assists and helped the Golden Suns offense hit .234 for the match. For the tournament, Dukic recorded 107 assists and 20 digs.

UCO was paced by Meaghan Wedberg as she posted a triple-double of 15 kills, 37 assists and 11 digs. In addition, she added six block assists. Three other Bronchos recorded 10 kills in the win.

Joining Dukic and Farney on the All-Tournament Team was Wedberg, Arkansas-Monticello libero Stephanie Hatten, East Central outside hitter Jacqueline Sparks, Henderson State libero Bethany Wright and Henderson State outside hitter Tatiana Kuhn. Along with the All-Tournament Team honoree, UAM defensive specialist Jocelyn Brown was named the Sportsmanship Award winner.  

Tech will return to Gulf South Conference play this coming Tuesday when the Golden Suns travel to Memphis, Tenn., to face Christian Brothers in a 7 p.m. match at Canale Arena.

Listed below are the scores from the final day of action at the 2nd-Annual Tech Volleyball Invitational.

Match 1 – Central Oklahoma def. Ark.-Monticello, 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-14)

Match 2 – Ark.-Monticello def. East Central, 3-0 (25-11, 27-25, 25-17)

Match 3 – Central Okla. def. Tech, 3-2 (25-19, 25-20, 11-25, 18-25, 17-15)

-- Tech Athletics --