ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – A career high 10 kills from Bree Sanders as well as double-doubles from Courtney Bolf, Taylor Scalzi, MaKenzie Thoman and Abby Blackburn led the Reddies to a win 3-1 win (25-22, 25-27, 25-15, 25-21) in the conference opener against Arkansas-Monticello Wednesday afternoon. Unfortunately, HSU was unable to complete the mid-week sweep, falling to Texas A&M-Kingsville 3-2 in the final match of the night.
The Reddies will head to Mississippi for three matches over the weekend. On Saturday, HSU will face Spring Hill College at 2 p.m. and Mississippi College at 4 p.m. before taking on Division I Mississippi Valley State at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Game 1: Henderson State 3, Arkansas-Monticello 1
SET ONE
The Reddies charged out of the gate in conference play Wednesday, taking the first six points of the match against a shell-shocked UAM squad. With the score 8-3, the first kill of Sanders' career day was followed by a combo block from Adrianna Hartmann and Alex Tyler which put the Reddies up 10-3 and forced Monticello into their first timeout. After the stoppage, two kills from Sabrina Show gave HSU its biggest lead of the set, 14-5. UAM did not fold however, and the Blossoms went on a lengthy 14-5 run to tie the score, 19-19. With the set hanging in the balance, the Reddies turned to seniors Hartmann and Bolf who provided two kills each to give the Reddies an early 1-0 lead, 25-22.
SET TWO
In set two, the Reddies were the ones to fall victim to an early deficit as UAM ripped off a 7-0 run to take a 10-3 lead. Slowly but surely, HSU climbed back in it. Henderson picked up timely kills from Tyasia McGruder, Sanders, McKenzie Tuyo and Hartmann to pull within one, 13-12. The Reddies were unable to tie or take the lead, however, and another strong spurt from Monticello put them in front 21-14. Just as UAM made it difficult on Henderson in the first set, the Reddies would not go down without a fight. Four kills and an ace from Bolf made it a two-point game before a controversial call on Tuyo's third kill of the set helped HSU tie it up, 23-23. Up 24-23, the Reddies had a chance to take a 2-0 lead, but UAM stormed back to take the set and tie the match, 27-25.
SET THREE
With the match tied 1-1, both teams were looking to grab the momentum in an early third set stalemate. With the score 5-5, Bolf and Sanders sent the Reddies on a 6-2 run behind four combined kills and a solo block from Sanders than sent Monticello into a timeout with HSU up 11-7. Although UAM grabbed the point following the timeout, the Reddies used a 9-3 run to take a commanding 20-11 lead. Unlike the first set, Monticello was unable to muster a comeback as the Henderson cruised to a 2-1 advantage, 25-15.
SET FOUR
After dropping the opening point of the fourth set, the Reddies ripped off another early run, taking six-straight which forced UAM into another early timeout. This time, the timeout did do the trick for Monticello, who answered with a 10-1 run to pull in front 11-9 and send HSU searching for answers with a stoppage. After the break, the Reddies turned to Bolf, who provided HSU with three-straight kills and a 13-11 lead. Despite a well-balanced attack, HSU could not shake Monticello who ultimately tied the set, 19-19. UAM was unable to take the lead, however, and the Reddies pulled away to grab their first GAC win of the 2019 season with a 25-21 set win.
Game 2: Texas A&M – Kingsville 3, Henderson State 2
SET ONE
The Javelinas kept HSU completely off balance in the match's opening moments, taking the game's first five points which forced the Reddies into an early timeout. The break did not help matters, as the Reddies would not score back-to-back points until a McGruder kill made it 14-7 in Kingsville's favor. HSU was unable to mount a rally in the opening set as A&M took an early 1-0 lead with a 25-12 win.
SET TWO
HSU looked rejuvenated early in the second set, as Show, Sanders, and Bolf all laid down powerful kills to put the Reddies up 7-2. The Javelinas cut HSU's lead to three, 8-5, but HSU gained complete control with a lengthy 10-5 run that put them in from 18-10. Kingsville trimmed the deficit to four, 22-18, but the Reddies took the set and tied the match 25-20.
SET THREE
The Reddies carried their momentum from the second set to the third and got three early kills from Tuyo to take 6-1 lead. Tyler and Bolf got in on the action and Kingsville mistakes forced the Javelinas into a timeout with a 10-2 deficit in front of them. The timeout was not the right remedy for Kingsville, as the Reddies used a 5-1 run to go up 15-3. HSU dominated the third set and took a 2-1 lead, 25-10.
SET FOUR
Similarly to the first set, it was all Javelinas early in the fourth, as Kingsville ran out to a 6-1 lead. The Reddies crawled back within striking distance behind kills from Tuyo, Bolf and Hartmann to cut the Javelinas' lead to just two, 14-12, but Kingsville used a 6-3 spurt to push its advantage out to 20-15. Kingsville took the set and tied the match by the same margin, 25-20.
SET FIVE
For the third time in the match, a slow start was HSU's undoing as Kingsville seized a 5-1 lead in the shortened fifth set. HSU tied the match 6-6, but it was all Javelinas from there, as Kingsville took nine of the next 12 points and escaped with the win, 15-9.
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