HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas – Harding clinched its Great American Conference record ninth appearance in the Volleyball Championship finals as the Lady Bisons dispatched of East Central, 3-1, in Friday’s opening Great American Conference Volleyball Championship semifinal contest from Bank OZK Arena.
The Lady Bisons’ (22-8) defensive effort stifled the Tiger (18-14) attack throughout the match. They held the Tigers to a .048 attack percentage, including a -.038 mark in the third set. Six Lady Bisons reached double figures in digs and they blocked seven shots. Tatum Fouche registered 26 digs and Ashley Lamkin added four blocks - three solo.
The opening set featured five ties and four lead changes early. Trailing 16-13, the Lady Bisons rattled off 12 of the set’s final four points to claim a 25-18 set victory. Delaney Garner, Jacey Lambert, Skyler McKinnon all recorded two kills as part of the run. A McKinnon block closed out the set.
East Central responded with its best set of the match in a 25-16 second-set win. The Tigers hit .190 and committed just five errors. Harding never trailed in set three and scored a 25-16 win. The Lady Bisons induced 11 Tiger errors.
Harding took control early in the fourth set, winning seven of the first 10 points. ECU drew to within one only once. Up 19-16, the Bisons closed out the match with two kills from Lambert, two from Josie Bishop, a block from Lamkin and a service ace from Fouche.
In defeat, the Tigers’ Odalys Gonzalez tallied 21 kills on 82 attempts. She added three service aces.
Harding faces Ouachita Baptist at 3 p.m. on Saturday with the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championships at stake. The Lady Bisons split their two regular-season meetings with the Tigers.