SUNS TOP LADY BISONS TO MOVE TO 5-0
On Sep. 30, the Golden Suns took on their rival, the Harding Bisons. The match was heated from the start with the Bisons and Suns both being 4-0 in the conference.
Tech took the lead with a kill from Brianna Merkel early in the game. When Bosons took the lead, Kaitlynn Bradley stepped up with two kills that gave Tech the upper hand.
“We always look forward to playing Harding,” Kera Dukic, head volleyball coach, said. “We focused on the game plan before the match. Took our time and focused on the players and what they needed to do to win.”
The first set ended with a score of 25-19 Tech.
Earning three of the first four points for Tech in the second set, Paladini and Tymber Riley combined to make the score 6-5.
Tech soon earned the lead back. Paladini picked up a kill and an attacking error by the Lady Bisons set the Suns up to win the second set 25-23.
Abby Simpson made a quick kill in the match’s final set and gave the Suns an early lead. The Bisons would tie the score and both teams would trade points from there.
Paladini and Riley would work with the team to regain the lead when the assist of Megan Solberg Riley was able to go for the kill—putting Tech at a 22-15 charge.
The hits would keep coming from Tech with the assist from Madison Grantham and a kill from Paladini, the Suns, were golden. Having won the set 25-17 leaving the team undefended and a sweep against their biggest rival the Bisons.
With leading kills from Paladini with 15, Riley with 14 and Bradley 9. Behind the back lines with aces, Riley picked up 2, Solberg with 2 and Bradley with 1. Upfront blocks were Paladini with 3, Bradley with 2 and Riley with 1 as team assists were Merkel with 34, Grantham with 4 and Solberg with 2. The top digs were Grantham with 21, Solberg with 14 and Kamir Myrick with 12.
“We are going to keep moving forward, working hard as a team. We want to keep doing our best and hopefully keep winning,” Dukic said. “We are a team and a family, win or lose. I am really proud of how they are playing.”
The Golden Suns prepare to host number 19 Oklahoma Baptist on Friday, Oct. 8 at 6 P.M. at Tucker Coliseum.
