BOX SCORE || HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - For the second-straight year, Harding's Great American Conference Volleyball Championship semifinal match extended the full five sets and just like in 2012, the Lady Bisons pulled through, as they beat the upset-minded Ouachita Baptist Lady Tigers on Friday night from Summit Arena.
 
The Lady Bisons (27-7) earned their third-straight GAC Volleyball Championship title-game appearance thanks to having three players - GAC Player of the Year Mollie Arnold, Shelby Daniel and Lisa Copeland - all total at least 20 digs, a first for a GAC Volleyball Championship match. Arnold also recorded a GAC Championship record 24 kills. She registered her third 20-20 match of 2013; all other players in the GAC have a total of four 20-20 matches.
 
Harding quickly took the first two sets, by scores of 25-13 and 25-18. The Lady Bisons out-hit the Lady Tigers .296 to .041. In the opening two sets, Liv Savage hit .800 with eight kills on 10 attempts.
 
Ouachita Baptist (16-12) began its comeback by scoring the first four points of the third set. The Lady Tigers maintained the advantage throughout the set before a late 6-2 spurt gave the Harding a 22-21 lead. The Lady Bisons even had a match point, at 26-25 before the Lady Tigers rattled off the final three points to take the set.
 
OBU carried that momentum into the start of the fourth set as the Lady Tigers took a 7-2 lead to open the set. Harding battled back and evened the set at 21 before a pair of OBU kills and Harding errors sent the match to a fifth set.
 
Playing in a fifth seed for the second straight day, the Tigers fell behind early. After taking the first point, Harding scored seven of the next 10 points - four on Arnold kills - to take control of the set. She closed out the match with kills on the final two points to give Harding a 15-10 win in the fifth set.
 
Harding finished with 81 kills, the fourth-highest total in school history. After Arnold’s 24, Savage finished with 18 kills and a .406 attack percentage. Marindia Turner added 15 and Alyssa Short contributed 12. The Lady Bisons’ totaled 39 more kills than Ouachita Baptist. Harding’s Taryn Eubank dished out 57 assists. The Tigers tallied 11.0 team blocks. Kelley Ballard led the way with six.
 
For the third-straight year, Harding will take on Arkansas Tech in the Championship match. Each team won a GAC title on its home court - the Golden Suns in 2011 and the Lady Bisons last year. The GAC Sports Network will carry the match, set for 2 p.m. on GACSportsNetwork.com.