SHAWNEE – A crucial two-match road swing is on tap for Oklahoma Baptist (13-4, 5-0 GAC) as it heads to Harding and Arkansas Tech this weekend.
On Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. the Bison visit Searcy to take on Harding before an Oct. 11 showdown with the Golden Suns in Russellville. That latter match is slated for a 1 p.m. first serve.
These are two competitive series historically for OBU. Harding holds a slight 7-6 series advantage over the Bison while the team from Shawnee has a 7-5 lead over ATU. The Bison have lost the last three matches versus Harding but have won three straight against Arkansas Tech.
Below are notes on both teams.
Bison Notes
- Coach Anna Howle's team is one of only two unbeaten GAC squads; Ouachita also holds a 5-0 league mark.
- There have been three previous seasons that OBU started 5-0 in GAC play: 2020, 2019 and 2015.
- During the '19 and '20 seasons, the team ended up winning the conference title. (OBU couldn't compete in the '15 GAC Tournament due to NCAA D2 transitional rules).
- The Bison are the GAC leaders in three categories: hitting percentage (.230), kills per set (13.28) and opponent hitting percentage (.146).
- OBU is also second with 2.36 blocks per set. That mark is also slotted 28th nationally.
- Individually, Rylee Unruh leads the GAC with 0.55 service aces per set; she's third with 32 aces overall and seventh in kills (168).
- Mackenzie Frazee checks in at No. 3 with 71 total blocks and is second with 1.22 blocks per set.
- Allie Stricker and Karsyn Hunter are having strong seasons too. Stricker is fifth in kills (177) while Hunter is fifth in digs (259).
Harding Notes
- HU is 13-3 this fall and 4-1 in the GAC. They have won three in a row and are a perfect 6-0 at home.
- Harding possesses the best serving team in the GAC, leading the way with 2.14 aces per set.
- They are also second in attack percentage (.225), assists (749) and kills (817).
- HU is led by Ella Drake. She's No. 2 in the GAC in kills (208), aces per set (0.55) and points per set (3.92).
- Drake also has a conference-high 35 aces, the eighth-best mark in the nation.
- Olivia Wiedower checks in at second with 8.84 assists per set.
Golden Suns Notes
- Arkansas Tech is 7-8 overall and 3-2 in the conference. They have lost two straight heading into the weekend.
- The Golden Suns' top marks include ranking second in the GAC in kills per set (12.94) and third in assists (11.72).
- Erika Hernandez is the second-best hitting in the league, connecting at a .365 rate.
- Savannah Meyer is also fifth in both kills per set (3.08) and points per set (3.67).
- Defensively, Samantha Wojtowicz is fifth with a 4.50 digs-per-set average.
