Tweet #theGAC  HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Top-seeded Harding narrowly escaped its quarterfinal contest with Northwestern Oklahoma State as the Lady Bisons won the final two sets to claim a five-set victory against the eighth-seeded Rangers in Thursday’s third Great American Conference Volleyball Championship quarterfinal match from the Bank OZK Arena.
 
Harding (23-7) took the opening set, 25-17, before the Rangers (18-14) answered with wins the second and third sets by scores of 25-22 and 25-21, respectively. Northwestern Oklahoma State started strong in the fourth set and held a 7-3 lead before Harding ticked off 18 of the next 24 points to take command of the set.
 
The decisive set featured nine ties and neither side held an advantage greater than two points. Trailing 13-12, Taylor Lake and Madison Poen combined for three successive kills to close out the match.
 
Emma Reeves led the charge of the Lady Bisons. She finished with 21 kills and committed just one error en route to hitting .526. GAC Player of the Year Zoe Hardin added 17 kills, seven blocks and 21.5 points. Poen registered a double-double with a career-high 19 kills plus 16 digs. Rachel Heussner posted a career-high 65 assists.
 
Hannah Williams led four Rangers with double-digit kills as she notched 15. She added 16 digs. Jennifer Eubanks totaled 13 kills while Kaydee Honeycutt added 12 and Brooklyn Hesson chipped in with 11. Kaitlyn Robinson dished out 53 assists. Tobi Barker recorded a team-high 21 kills.
 
The Lady Bisons will face the winner of Ouachita and Arkansas Tech in Friday’s 6 p.m. semifinal contest. During the regular season, Harding all four meetings against the Tigers and Golden Suns. Against Ouachita, the Lady Bisons won in five sets in Arkadelphia and in three at home. Against Tech, Harding registered a four-set home victory and a five-set road win.