Arkansas Tech rallied to win the final two games and claim a 20-25, 25-14, 11-25, 25-19, 15-13 victory over the Harding Lady Bisons at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville on Tuesday night.
The Golden Suns (15-3 overall, 3-0 Gulf South Conference) earned their 10th consecutive win in front of 983 fans, the largest crowd to ever watch a volleyball match at Arkansas Tech.
The fifth and decisive game was tied 9-9 before two Sarah Von Lienen kills, two Laura Farney kills and a Harding attack error allowed the Golden Suns to draw within one point of victory at 14-12.
Alex Smith kept the Lady Bisons’ hopes alive with a kill, but Brittany Ryan erased those hopes with a victory-clinching block for Arkansas Tech on the next point.
Von Lienen had a season-high 28 kills and Farney made 14 kills. Kera Dukic recorded 60 assists, her second-highest total of the season and the third time that she has topped 50 assists this year.
Brennae Benda led an effective back row defense for the Golden Suns with 21 digs. Thabata Galvao (19 digs), Dukic (16 digs), Marcela Mascarenhas (15 digs) and Farney (14 digs) also reached double figures in digs for Tech.
Mollie Arnold led Harding (6-8, 1-1) with 23 kills.
The Suns will host the Arkansas Tech Hampton Inn Invitational at Tucker Coliseum this weekend.
Tech will face Alabama-Huntsville at 11 a.m. Friday, Central Oklahoma at 7 p.m. Friday and East Central University at 3 p.m. Saturday. No admission will be charged.
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