RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Maci Langford recorded 27 digs as Oklahoma Baptist swept Arkansas Tech on Saturday at Tucker Coliseum. It marked the first time in four tries that OBU swept the Golden Suns in Russellville.
In the process, the Bison improved to 11-7 and 5-2 in the Great American Conference
Key Leaders
- On top of her 27 digs, Langford led an effort that limited ATU to a .096 attack mark.
- Freshman Lauren Safrit registered a team-high eight kills to go with six digs.
- Jill Leslie and Jh'Kyah Head each added seven kills.
- Avery Hellmuth dialed up a match-high three blocks.
- Rylee Martin led in the assists department (15) while Jenna West added three aces.
- OBU's serve game was outstanding as it registered a season-high eight aces.
First Set
OBU was off and running in the first, attaining a 9-4 lead after a Head kill. At that point, OBU had just one attack error. However, the hot start was chilled as a few more miscues followed. The Golden Suns scored six in a row, with three of those points coming via error. ATU then led 10-9 and the scoreboard would be tied over the next 16 points. Following another OBU error, ATU led 20-18 which forced a Bison timeout. Out of the break, the green and gold hunkered down and fought back.
D'Erricka Frierson tallied a key point, while
Emily Boyer dished up an ace before Hellmuth and Safrit's block at the end helped OBU win 25-23.
Second Set
Henley Hooks' kill about midway through the second had ATU up 14-11. The Bison rallied with a 6-1 stretch and led 17-15 following a West kill. That two-point lead then blossomed to a five-point advantage after Martin served up a kill for Safrit, moving the OBU lead to 22-18. Tech did tie the set at 22-all, but OBU finished with three straight points including kills by Frierson and Safrit.
Third Set
A pair of aces by West and two kills by Head highlighted a 10-2 run for the Bison in the third. With the score knotted up at 5-all, OBU blew the gates wide open with the match-clinching stretch. Offensively, the Bison were outstanding, hitting .409 with 10 kills and just one error. West, Safrit and Head all recorded multiple kills in the third. On the defensive end, the Bison helped force ATU into a miserable -.031 attack percentage with 10 errors and nine kills on 32 swings.
On The Horizon
OBU will return to action at home on Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. against Southern Arkansas.
