TECH VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS HOME DOUBLEHEADER OVER
CHAMPION BAPTIST, LYON COLLEGE

         RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns Volleyball team improved its record to 29-3 on the season as they swept a pair of non-conference matches here at Tucker Coliseum on “Treat or Treat” Tuesday.

Tech opened the doubleheader by collecting a three-set win over Champion Baptist College (25-4, 25-5, 25-7) and the posted a three-set win over Lyon College (25-17, 25-13, 25-21).

With the two victories, Tech has now won 14 consecutive matches on the season and has now won a school-record 17 straight home matches as Tech is 17-0 on its home floor this year. The previous consecutive homecourt winning streak was 16, which was between 1998-99.

Against the Lady Tigers, the Golden Suns were paced offensively by freshmen outside hitters Allie Rankin (Richardson, TX) and Laura Farney (Morton, Ill.) with seven kills each. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Leah Mitchell (Rudy, Ark) added six kills in the win, while sophomore setter Kera Dukic (White Lake, Mich.) guided the attack with 24 assists and junior setter Alexis Gillett (Jackson, Mich.) added 10 assists.

For the match, Tech had a hitting percentage of .544, led by sophomore middle blocker Sarah Von Lienen (Lakeland, Tenn.), who was named this week’s Gulf South Conference West Division Offensive Player of the Week, was 4-for-4 and hit .1000. The Golden Suns held the Lady Tigers to a -.143 hitting percentage. The 16 points Tech allowed for the match was the lowest total in a match this year.

Defensively, sophomore defensive specialist Ashley Camp (Conway, Ark.) paced Tech with 19 digs and the Golden Suns had an 11-1 advantage in service aces, led by freshman libero Brennae Benda (Woodstock, Ill.) with four. Camp added three aces.

CBC was led by Marie Grego with three kills, while Tamara Burkhead and Ashley Thomas had two kills each.

In the nightcap against Lyon College (15-10 on the season), Farney and Von Lienen had seven kills each, while senior middle blocker Dana Florian (Wilmington, Ill.) and sophomore right-side hitter Ashlynn Hamrick (Jackson, Mich.) added six kills apiece.

Senior setter Kayla Allison (Tulsa, Okla.) notched 31 assists on the night. In addition, Allison and sophomore outside hitter Marcela Mascarenhas (Sao Paulo, Brazil) each had seven digs, while Von Lienen and Allison totaled five blocks in the win.

Katie Beineke led Lyon College with nine kills, while Julie Arnold had 28 assists and Ann Sullivan had 18 digs for the Pipers.

Tech will return to GSC action on Thursday, Oct. 30, when they travel to Memphis, Tenn. to take on Christian Brothers in a 7 p.m. match. Tech collected a three-set win over the Lady Buccaneers in Russellville on Oct. 7.  

         -- Tech Athletics --