VOLLEYBALL
UCA opens conference tournament with victory
The University of Central Arkansas took advantage of a career performance from Savanah Allen to defeat McNeese State 23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-19 in the opening round of the Southland Conference Tournament on Friday in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The Bears (25-4) advance to the semifinals for the seventh time in eight tournament appearances. UCA will face No. 3 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 2:30 p.m. today.
McNeese (19-13), which handed UCA two of its four regular-season losses, outhit the No. 2 seed Sugar Bears by .107 points to take the first set. After that, the Central Arkansas defense took control, racking up 12.5 blocks and 57 digs over the final three sets to hold the Cowgirls under a .180 hitting percentage.
Harding, Arkansas Tech advance to GAC title game
Harding University swept Oklahoma Baptist, and Arkansas Tech University beat Southern Nazarene on Friday in the semifinals of the Great American Conference Tournament at Bank of the Ozarks Arena in Hot Springs.
The No. 2 Lady Bisons defeated Oklahoma Baptist 25-23, 25-17, 25-19, and the top-seeded Golden Suns won 25-18, 21-25, 25-17, 25-17 to reach the championship match at 2 p.m. today.
Taylor Mounts led Harding (27-5) with 12 kills and hit .344. Rachel Heussner had 41 assists, which was her second most in a three-set match. Taylor Lake had 21 digs.
Madison Nagel had a match-high 22 digs, and Lexie Johnston had a match-high four blocks for Arkansas Tech (34-0).
This will be the fourth meeting between Harding and Arkansas Tech in the GAC title match. The Golden Suns won the championship over the Lady Bisons in 2011 and 2013, while Harding won its lone conference crown in 2012.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services
Sports on 11/18/2017