SHAWNEE -- This Thursday at 12:30 p.m., No. 2 seed Oklahoma Baptist (19-8) meets No. 7 seed Ouachita (17-14) for a match in the Great American Conference Tournament quarterfinals. The Bison have come out victorious in six of the nine all-time D2 contests with the Tigers. However, earlier this season, the Tigers upset the Bison in Arkadelphia, 3-1.
In series history, the last time these two teams met in the GAC Tournament was Nov. 16, 2017 with the green and gold winning 3-1. For those attending the tournament, tickets are $10 per day and $7 for students. Children five and under are free.
The winner of this quarterfinal match will move on to play either third-seed Southwestern Oklahoma State or six-seed East Central on Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.
Bison Notes
● The Bison won their last game against Southern Nazarene, 3-1, and claimed a share of the GAC regular season title. That's their fourth in program history.
●
Avery Hellmuth and
D'Erricka Frierson were named GAC Players of the Week for their efforts.
● OBU is a win away from attaining its 12th, 20-win season under 16th-year coach
Anna Howle.
●
Jill Leslie has tallied a team-high 252 kills. She ranks second in the GAC in hitting (.340) and seventh in points (3.32).
● Frierson's 2.77 kills per set average is ninth-best in the league. She has tallied double-digit kill totals in three of the last four matches.
● Senior libero
Maci Langford has registered 91 digs over the last four matches. She continues to lead the GAC in digs per set (4.87).
● Plus, in OBU's last four wins, three players have recorded at least 3.71 digs per set:
Jenna West,
Lauren Safrit and Langford.
● Also of note defensively, Hellmuth is eighth in blocks (0.87) and ranks sixth all-time at OBU with 289.
● Over the last two matches,
Abrey Galt has directed the Bison attack. She's got 83 assists in the last nine sets.
● In the previous matchup with Ouachita on Oct. 19, the Bison gave up 65 kills in the four-setter. That kill total was the most given up by the green and gold's defense in GAC play this fall.
Ouachita Notes
● Ouachita closed the regular season strong winning six of seven. It marked the second consecutive winning season for coach Allison Frizzell-Kizer.
● That included a win in their last match Arkansas Tech (3-1).
● The Tigers have three of the top hitters in the GAC: Haley Fairchild (.315), Emily Adams (.306) and Leah Gardner (.302) rank fourth through sixth in the conference.
● As a team, Ouachita is at the top of the league in hitting percentage (.229), second in aces (196) and third in kills (1445).
● Kayla Steinmeyer leads the team with 277 kills.
● Sophomore Courtney Hanson has 1,090 assists. That gives her the lead (9.48) in the GAC.
● Avery Jauz has collected 460 digs and sits in ninth in per-set average (4.18).
● Riley Braziel is third on the GAC service aces bracket with a 0.40 average per set.
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