VOLLEYBALL
ASU gets NIVC victory
Arkansas State University got its first postseason victory since 1993 on Wednesday with a 3-1 (25-21, 28-30, 29-27, 27-25) victory over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at the National Invitational Volleyball Championship in Oxford, Miss.
Carlisa May had a match-high 21 kills for Arkansas State (21-11), her ninth match of 20 or more kills this season. Kenzie Fields had 10 kills and 11 digs, while Ellie Watkins added 34 assists and 2 aces and Jessica Uke had a career-high 9 blocks. SIU-Edwardsville (23-7) was led by Jackie Scott’s 17 kills, while Ashley Witt added
- Katie Shashack picked up 16 digs.
Arkansas State advanced to face Mississippi, which defeated Stephen F. Austin in straight sets, at 6 p.m. today in a match that will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
ATU leads AVCA regional honors
Arkansas Tech University Coach Kristy Bayer was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s Central Region coach of the year Wednesday, while Lexie Johnston was named the region’s freshman of the year and Amanda Milnick joined Johnston on the All-Central Region team.
Bayer led the Golden Suns to the Great American Conference’s regular-season and tournament championships without losing a match. Arkansas Tech will play in its fourth NCAA Tournament since 2011 when they open against Southwest Minnesota State at 7:30 p.m. today in Marshall, Minn.
Johnston, who was the GAC freshman of the year, was the only freshman named to the all-region team and Milnick, the GAC player of the year and GAC Tournament most valuable player, was the only sophomore. Harding University’s Zoe Hardin was an honorable mention selection.
Autumn Reese and Anna Demmer from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith were both named to the AVCA’s All-South Central region team. The duo helped lead the Lady Lions to a 26-7 record and a runner-up finish in the conference tournament.
SOCCER
Harding players receive regional recognition
Harding’s Christian Ramos, Bethany Sutherland and Sierra Phillips received All-Central Region honors on Wednesday from United Soccer Coaches.
Ramos, a sophomore defender, led Harding with seven goals and three assists. He became the school’s first defender to lead the team in goals. Ramos was one of two men’s players from the Great American Conference — Ouachita Baptist University’s Tinashe Chigede was the other — to earn All-Central Region honors.
Sutherland, a junior midfielder, received all-region honors for the third consecutive season after leading Harding with 14 goals and two assists. She is the school’s career leader with 51 goals. Phillips had two assists in 14 games.