TECH VOLLEYBALL OPENS SEASON 4-0 FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2001 AFTER SWEEPING FINAL TWO MATCHES OF SUPER 8 SPIKEFEST

         RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Volleyball continued play here Saturday in the Fourth-Annual Super 8 Spikefest at Tucker Coliseum by posting two three-set sweeps over both Alabama-Huntsville and Felician College.

The Golden Suns, who have started 4-0 for the first time since the 2001 season, opened Saturday’s action with a three-set win over Alabama-Huntsville (25-14, 25-15, 25-20) and then ended the two-day event with a three-set sweep of Felician College (25-6, 25-16, 25-11).

“Our goal coming into this weekend’s tournament was to go 4-0 and I’m pleased we were able to achieve it without dropping a set,” Golden Suns Head Coach Kristy Bayer said. “We were able to use a wide variety of line-ups throughout the tournament and we mixed and matched and tried some different combinations.”

In the first match against the Lady Chargers (1-3 on the season), Tech’s offense continued its hot play as the Golden Suns hit .418 and had 47 kills and just nine attack errors on 91 attempts.

Against the Lady Chargers, who were picked to finish tied for fourth in the Preseason Gulf South Conference East Division Coaches’ Poll, Tech won the first two games by scores of 25-14 and 25-15, but struggled in the third game until scoring the game’s final four points to earn the 25-20 win.

          The third game featured five ties and four lead changes. Tech led 20-16, before UAH scored four of the next five points to pull within 21-20 following a kill by Kelly Ingram. After Ingram’s kill, the Golden Suns pushed out to a 22-20 lead on a kill by sophomore middle blocker Sarah Von Lienen (Lakeland, Tenn.), and then UAH committed two errors and senior outside hitter Racheal Urquhart (Chatham, Ont.) connected on a service ace to make the matches final three points.

          Senior middle blocker Dana Florian (Wilmington, Ill.), who was named the Super 8 Spikefest’s MVP, led Tech’s balanced offense against UAH with 11 kills and hit .558. In addition to Florian, sophomore right side hitter Kelly O’Malley (Billings, Mont.), one of three Golden Suns named to the All-Tournament team, had 10 kills and hit .529, while Urquhart and Von Lienen each added nine kills in the win. Von Lienen hit .500 and Urquhart hit .400 in the match. UAH, who hit .126 for the match and committed 17 attack errors, was led by Jessica Ruple’s nine kills, seven digs and a .364 hitting percentage.

          In the final match of the tournament, Tech hit .318 and committed just 10 errors in defeating the Lady Falcons (0-4 on the season). Tech won the first set 25-6, but was challenged in the second set as Felician pulled within 17-14 on a kill by Laura Peskosky, before the Golden Suns regrouped and scored eight of the sets final 10 points. In the third set, Tech sprinted out to a 9-1 lead and cruised from that point to earn the 25-11 win.

          Sophomore right side hitter Ashlynn Hamrick (Jackson, Mich.) led the way for Tech in the finale against Felician as she had 13 kills and hit .600. Freshman outside hitter Laura Farney (Peoria, Ill.) added six kills and hit .357.

          In addition to Florian and O’Mally on the All-Tournament, senior setter Kayla Allison (Tulsa, Okla.) was the other Golden Sun selected. Other All-Tournament team members were Drury senior outside hitter Devin Buehler, Drury sophomore middle blocker Kyrie Hopkins, Cameron junior right side hitter Lindsay Pazulik and Alabama-Huntsville sophomore middle blocker Allison Cousins.

          For the tournament, Florian recorded 32 kills and hit .537, while O’Malley had 23 kills and hit .370. Allison, who sat out the Felician match, had 67 assists, 15 digs and hit .450.

          “Dana Florian really had a standout performance for us this weekend,” Bayer said. “She really played well and did some good things out there. Additionally, I thought Kelly (O’Malley) did a good job, she played the right side and was really productive.”

          The Golden Suns return to action on Tuesday, Sept. 2, when they welcome Arkansas-Pine Bluff to Tucker Coliseum for a 7 p.m. match.

In other tournament action on Saturday, Drury went 2-0, while Cameron went 1-1 and Alabama-Huntsville and Felician College each went winless in two matches. Complete results for Saturday’s action are listed below.

Match 1 – Cameron def. Alabama-Huntsville (25-22, 25-17, 25-20)

Match 2 – Drury def. Felician College (25-14, 25-9, 25-12)

Match 3 – Arkansas Tech def. Alabama-Huntsville (25-14, 25-15, 25-20)

Match 4 – Drury def. Cameron (25-22, 25-18, 25-17)

Match 5 – Arkansas Tech def. Felician College (25-6, 25-16, 25-11)

-- Tech Athletics --