ADA, OKLA. – On the annual Senior Day, the East Central University volleyball team battled to a 3-2 (16-25, 27-25, 25-17, 16-25, 15-13) victory over Southern Arkansas in Great American Conference action.
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The Tigers (7-18, 2-9 GAC) and the Muleriders (7-19, 0-11 GAC) played an even match, with the key difference coming on the defensive side where ECU recorded 85 digs to SAU's 87.
The Tigers seven seniors (
Micah Rogers,
Taylor Turner,
Madeline Mayer,
Lily Porsa,
Mackenzie Davis,
Alex Campbell and
Diana Etienne) has strong performances through the match. Mayer led the team with 14 kills, while Davis added 10, Campbell seven and Etienne three. Turner recorded 21 assists and two blocks, while Porsa tallied 25 digs and Rogers added 22.
The opening set was a close battle through the first 14 serves. However, that is when the Muleriders used a 7-0 run to push the lead out to 14-7. ECU pushed back with a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to three, but were unable to regain the advantage before falling 25-16.
In the second set, SAU took an early lead and held the advantage for most of the set. When the Tigers were trailing 16-8 they turned up the pressure and went on an 8-4 run to cut the deficit to four. ECU then added a 6-0 run to gain a 23-20 advantage. The Muleriders never game up and pushed the set into extra points, with a 4-0 run of their own. However, this time the Tigers used a 3-0 run to claim the 27-25 victory.
ECU then kept the momentum on their side in set four, jumping out to an 8-2 lead. The Tigers pushed the lead out to as many as 11 (20-9), before SAU started to make a push. A 5-0 run, with ECU sitting a match-point, gave them some momentum, but the Tigers earned the 25-17 win.
The fourth set was close through the first 14 serves, but the Muleriders then used an 8-0 run to take the lead for good. SAU kept the pressure up through the set and forced the fifth set with a 25-16 win.
The Muleriders jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the fifth set, but ECU never gave up. The Tigers used several small runs to tie the set at nine. The teams traded the next six serves for a 12-all tie.
ECU then used the momentum from a kill from freshman
Audra Jonas and a block by Davis and junior
Karina Erreguin to gain the momentum and 14-12 lead. While the Muleriders took the next point, Davis capped off the match with a kill for the 15-13 set and match win.
The Tigers will remain at home for two matches over homecoming week. ECU will host Arkansas-Fort Smith in the final non-conference match of the year, Tuesday, Oct. 24 (7 p.m.) and then Oklahoma Baptist, Thursday, Oct. 26 (7 p.m.) at the Kerr Activities Center.
