SEARCY, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello volleyball team lost in straight sets to Harding on Thursday in Searcy, Arkansas. The Blossoms came into the match riding a four-game winning streak.
The match was tight early with the Blossoms and Lady Bison dishing out back-and-forth points non-stop in the first set. However, HU won the first set, 27-25, and took the next two sets handily, 25-16, and 25-10 to win the match.
In the first set, the Blossoms kept it tight and eventually took a two-point lead at 14-12, warranting a Lady Bison timeout.
MarKayla Dickie had a solid stretch in a four-point run tallying a pair of kills.
Following a Lady Bison point, it was Dickie again snagging a kill, and
Halli Lambert with one of her own to make it a 16-13 lead, UAM. The Lady Bison eventually tied it and took a three-point advantage of their own at set point, 24-21. The Blossoms would then come right back with four points of their own and get to set point as well. Unfortunately, HU would bounce back to score three straight points, winning the set, 27-25.
To start the second set, UAM was hanging with the Lady Bison yet again taking the lead, 9-8. However, after a service error, HU went on a five-point run making it hard for the Blossoms to re-cooperate. UAM scattered a few here and there, but lost the set, 25-16.
After the second, HU really came out aiming to close the match out taking an early lead and giving themselves a nine-point advantage at 16-7. Dickie and
Katie Pearson would keep the lead at nine for a moment at 19-10, but Harding would then go on a six-point run to win the set and the match, 25-10.
Dickie led the way for the Weevils in kills with nine and tallied a .350 attack percentage.
She was aided by setter Pearson who totaled 24 assists.
Jessica Mahan was the team's key defensive player totaling 21 digs, while Pearson and
Devyn Simpson had one assisted block apiece.
UAM falls to 11-16 overall and 6-8 in GAC games. The Blossoms are still in the postseason hunt with two games left on their schedule
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UAM will host Henderson State on Tuesday at Steelman Field House at 6 p.m. The game will be a Blackout as fans are encouraged to wear their black and support the Blossoms as they take on the Reddies