Tweet #theGAC  HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Ouachita defeated Arkansas Tech for the second time in a span of eight days as the Tigers knocked off the reigning champions in five sets in Thursday’s fourth Great American Conference Volleyball Championship quarterfinal match from the Bank OZK Arena.
 
The Tigers (23-8) won the first two sets by scores of 25-21 and 25-22. In the third set, they turned a three-point deficit into earning match point, 24-22. The Golden Suns (17-2) responded with a kill by Allie Anderson and two aces by Madison Grantham to earn set point. They forced the fourth set following a Tiger error.
 
The Golden Suns evened the contest when took the fourth set, 25-18. With the set tied at 13, Arkansas Tech rattled off seven-straight points en route to a 25-18 victory. Hunter Eshnaur recorded three kills during the run.
 
Despite dropping consecutive sets, the Tigers showed their mettle, as they never trailed in the fifth set. They hit .450 in the decisive set and clinched the win on a kill by Tabatha Huckabee
 
Leonard, the GAC Setter of the Year, finished with 59 assists and 12 digs. She increased her total to 4,716 assists, the fifth-highest total among Division II setters. Adrianna Nolly finished a plurality of Leonard’s assists as she put down 24 kills. She hit .533, served up three aces and totaled 28.0 points.
 
Eshnaur matched Holly with 24 kills. Anderson added 23 kills. They combined to hit .306 while the rest of the team hit only .108. Mackenzie Eford added eight blocks.
 
Tech suffered a loss in the quarterfinals for just the second time in the eight-year history of the GAC. Ouachita advanced the semifinals for the third time. For the first time since 2015, all four top seeds won their quarterfinal contest.
 
The Tigers will face the winner of Harding in Friday’s 6 p.m. semifinal contest. Harding swept the two regular meetings Against Ouachita, the Lady Bisons won in five sets in Arkadelphia and in three at home.